Fabula
by The Punch Lord
Summary: Stories come in all shapes and sizes, covering two sides of a coin, and showing the connections between people, magic and all possibilities. a lightis drabble story chapter fic with a variety of different and similar stories told in different views and AUs.
1. Averia: Little Lost Girl

**i'm not going to deny, this was inspired by Burning Phoenix's Chronicles, but the basic idea of it is something that i want to do for myself. i get a lot of lightis ideas; too many ideas i don't have enough patience to do them all at least one at a time, getting one story done then start working on the other, i don't have the patience for it.**

**this'll be a big drabble of all the stories that come to my head and will pop up depending what i feel like writing. most of the stories that i use will appear listed on my page and are strictly from my own head, though there will be few that are inspired by movies, games, and books; though not too many. there will also be oneshots and side stories to other main stories that i'm working on to include bits that i didn't get a chance to include in the main chapter stories. chapter lengths will vary as well as updates, Fabula may get slower updates while working on other stories or when something in life pops up.  
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**the main pairing is lightis, but there will also be a few side pairings, some that i have yet to see in fanfiction, and expect characters from other FF games to occasionally appear. **

**Fabula will be rated M since some chapters will have sexual content, cursing, and graphic scenes, i will alert you when it will really be an M  
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**Fabula should end when all the arcs that appear have been finished, and some of those arcs may become their own story, especially if they go smoothly enough and if people request that it does become its own story or if i feel like making it its own story. **

**so just let me know of any thoughts or concerns and as always, enjoy!**

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**Averia: There's always been tension between the Miqo'te and the outside world, the mysterious beings that kept to themselves strictly, hardly ever seen or interacted with, even when sought after; so hard to find, it was too a point that they were considered a myth. But when a young child drifts into their mist, for the first time, they have to step out, revealing themselves to the world.**

**_Little Lost Girl_ **

* * *

It was early in the morning when Lightning found her.

Lurking near the river outside her village, Lightning climbed along the trees, her long slender ears flickering at every sound, her sharp, blue green eyes staring down at the water, watching the morning sun gleam along the surface. Looking past the glare on the water, she watched the fish squirm below the surface, her long, snow white tail curling behind her, anxious, excited. Crouching on the branch, her rear rising as her tail flicked back and forth, readying herself. As fast as her namesake, she dove into the water, her hands sinking into the soft scaled body below, feeling it twist and thrashed in her snare. Easily she wrestled it down, pinning it against the river's floor, feeling the water push at her slightly. Digging her feet in and crouching so the current goes over her, Lightning stayed still, letting the fish squirm and bury itself against her claws, its blood flying out and pulled away by the water.

Holding her breathe and keeping still, letting the blood flow from the fish, she waited, listening with her ears pressed hard against her head. When she heard movement in the water, the sound of a large body shifting bouncing off the shell of her pale cat ears, she looked, seeing her true prey slowly slither close, the beady eyes of the large catfish eyeing her, attracted by the blood flowing around her. Shifting so the dying fish was under her foot, Lightning readied herself, baiting the catfish close.

Slowly it drew near, and once it was close enough, Lightning sunk her claws into it, sharply pulling close, wrestling with it, holding tight as it thrashed, beating against her lean body, spines cutting out into any skin it could grab. Lightning retaliated just as fiercely, sinking her fangs right into its gills, tasting copper blood against her tongue and feeling the hard scales press against her mouth; despite the discomfort, she held on tight, chewing slightly as she sunk them deeper, clutching the body and dragged her claws up along its white belly.

As its thrashing grew weak, Lightning pushed it up to the surface, dragging it to shore. Adjusting her hold on the catfish, she pulled it away from the water, dropping it to the ground and watching it gasp for breathe, bleeding out onto the ground. Taking knife, Lightning spared her catch, slitting its throat and letting the fish lay limp on the ground. Sighing contently, Lightning sat back, looking skyward as she whispered, "I thank Thaliak for the calm water, and for bringing the fish."

The fish the river god allowed to drift to her should last her a good couple of weeks, even able to spare some to her sister and her mate; if they were in need of any food, she had some to spare with this fish. Lapping up the blood and cleaning the wound, Lightning licked her cuts clean, all the while letting herself drip dry in the humid air. Satisfied that she got most of the water off and any major cut was clean and bloodless, Lightning grabbed the rope she tossed at the base of the tree when she arrived, slipping it through the mouth and slipping it out the gills, ready to drag it back home.

She paused though when she heard a squeal. Frowning, Lightning straightened, looking out and around. There shouldn't be any children here, they were to stay in the village, if they did go out, usually a parent or a close guardian or friend would watch over them.

But no one dared take a child near a river, especially toddlers, and that was the squeal of a toddler.

When an insistent cry reached her ears again, Lightning abandoned the fish, looking for the child as it continued to cry out.

Reaching the edge of the bank, she looked along the water, frowning when she saw a drifting nest of moss and weed coming down the river and the closer it got the louder the squeals became. Slipping into the water Lightning swam over to the nest, grabbing it before it drifted away and pulling it close, peering in curiously to see.

A toddler was nestled into it, pale blue eyes staring up at her, glinting silver hair fuzzed on top of her head, with a blanket wrapped around her in a sloppy fashion, either done in a hurry or without care from what Lightning could guess. She was tailless and her ears were lower than they should be, and round.

Lightning almost let the the nest go in surprise.

A human toddler.

They both stared at each other in wonder and surprise, taking in the sight of the other. The child cooed, reaching up towards Lightning's pale ears, her fingers curling insistingly. Frowning at that, Lightning's ears slid back, avoiding those small human hands even though they weren't even close to reaching her ears. The toddler giggled at the ears movement, her hands dropping and smearing over her face.

After a moment of contemplating, Lightning started to drag the toddler back to shore, scooping her up and out of the nest, the child gripping her loose shirt as Lightning adjusted her grip on the infant, grabbing the rope and starting to drag the catfish back to her home, carrying the toddler in her other arm.

* * *

"What am I going to do with you?" Lightning wondered, listening to the toddler's coos and giggles as she washed the young human in a tub, rubbing and wiping away any dirt on her, careful not to get soap in her eyes or to scratch her with her claws, even retracted, they were still sharp, easy to cut the soft skin her fingers moved over. The child was completely oblivious to the danger, beaming at the light touch of Lightning's hands lathering over her, cleaning her.

Laughing the little girl reached up towards her ears again, Lightning instinctively leaning away, her ears flattening to keep those grabby hands away. The toddler took no offense, chortling at the ears' movement.

She couldn't keep the child. Her people were intent on keeping away from humans, all kinds of humans. When sought after they hid and turned away, not having any interest in them. Humans turned away from their gods, The Twelve, the gods that were with them first, that welcomed them first and watch over them.

Instead of the Twelve, they now follow and live by Etro, Lindzei, and Pulse: chaos, control, and conquest. These deities of pure imbalance and damnation, gods that turned their back on nature and tainted it. People always reflected off their gods, leading to why miqo'te always avoided their tailless, small eared counterparts, even growing and evolving differently than humans, advancing faster than they did. Lightning and many other miqo'te suspected that their separate evolution and growth was a reward from Althyk for staying loyal, and to help them survive.

But miqo'te were starting to dwindle as humans grew, pushed by their gods to destroy the land and shape it to their desires, go at odds against the Twelve. It was because of this that there was a sense that was starting to go around her kind and the few neighboring miqo'te; a great migration was nearing that their Seeker and Keeper would guide them on, to a land untouched by humans, a land ruled by only miqo'te, where other miqo'te were sure to accept and welcome them.

They were just waiting for Nymeia's sign and guidance.

This child could put a damper on that, more specifically what to do with the human girl. While it was obvious that Lightning should return her to the humans, its much preferred to return the child to a human she knew would take care of her, and then there was the matter of whether or not the girl really did belong to humans.

Did Thaliak send her?

Was this Nymeia's will?

Or was this girl's appearance purely accidental? Humans were trying to get rid of her, Lightning was sure of that. But why? Why throw away this toddler? Have humans become such monsters that they do this to their children?

The girl blew a raspberry, grabbing for Lightning's tail, squealing at the soft, silver fur and wetting it.

She couldn't keep the human. Lightning was sure of that. The miqo'te wouldn't accept her, even if the Seeker said that she was sent by Nymeia to live among them, the child would live with ridicule, would grow faster than them and die earlier than them. And she wouldn't be able to keep up with miqo'te in a hunt, weave clothes and jewelry and weapons as well as they could; and much less find herself a mate and start a family. Miqo'te don't lay with humans. They haven't laid with humans in a thousand years.

What could she do with the child though?

She couldn't leave her, a defenseless child out in the wilds, even if she was human.

Lightning wouldn't live with the conscious.

But she couldn't take her in though either.

Lightning sighed, leaning back and letting the toddler play with her tail, moving it slightly and smiling as she laughed, petting the tail and rubbing it against her wet face. Water started to seep into her fur, turning it gray, not that Lightning minded. She remembered her own parents doing that with her and Serah when they were little cubs.

Reaching for the infant, Lightning drew her out of the water, flicking her tail to get rid of the water and started to dab the girl dry with a towel. Once dry enough, she slid the smallest shirt she could find over her. Clothed and clean, Lightning left the toddler on the floor, heading straight to the fish she left outside to bleed dry. Taking the knife she left outside with it, Lightning started to cut into its side, skinning the fish and cutting the meat off its bones, slapping it on rack, letting smoke drifting over the meat, keeping flies away and securing that the meat would last.

Her ears flickered when she heard the toddler's coos, glancing down to see her crawl towards the miqo'te, eyes locked on her long tail. Lightning kept it down, letting the child play and amuse herself with the soft fluffy fur. So long as she didn't pull any hair out, she should be fine.

For the most part though, the toddler was satisfied with simply hugging her tail to her chest, pressing her face against it. Lightning let her be, cutting away at the meat, musing the whole entire time what she would do with the child.

In the end, she would have to take her up to the Seeker. The Keeper and the rest of her clan would react badly to see her with the human child; out of their two leaders, the Seeker would be the most open to it, able to consult with the gods, know if this toddler was a sign or not.

Hopefully she could just meet the Seeker without anyone else seeing the girl, and a wrapping around her would help hide her identity...

Lightning started, looking up when she caught the familiar scent of her sister coming her way, most likely bringing her a bit of the dinner she made, keeping a little to their old routine before she had mated and moved out. Back when it was just the two of them, both unmated and parentless, trying to figure out what to do with themselves and for their clan. Lightning had become a hunter and Serah became a scholar and a healer, remaining in the village to learn the arts.

Maybe even become the next Seeker if Yuel, their current Seeker, suddenly passes. All she would need was the Twelve's blessing, then her sister would become the Seeker, and her mate, Noel, the Keeper.

It was hard imagining the youth as a Keeper, maybe in a few years when he grew his mane out and wizened up, he would be a fine Keeper, for now, she rather he'd be mentored and watched over before taking on the position all by himself.

Thankfully, their Keeper and Seeker were both still alive and well. No reason to think or worry about Serah becoming a Seeker herself and settled with keeping in contact with Lightning, securing that they both stayed in each other's lives. And it was food that always sealed it.

Whatever Lightning brought home, Serah would often cook and prepare. Sometimes she'd even have a meal ready by the time Lightning was home. When Serah found love with a fellow hunter in Lightning's unit and left to live with him, she still insisted on coming over to bring Lightning the occasional dinner. Her mate, Lightning's now brother, and fellow hunter, Noel, readily agrees and consents to Serah's wishes, sometimes even joining himself.

Lightning was glad that she didn't smell Noel with Serah. She accepted her brother well enough and got along with him, most of the time, but she didn't want to find out how he would react to the sight of the human girl.

She didn't even know what to expect with Serah much either.

Then again, her sister has been known to have a dangerous curiosity to life outside their village. Next to the Seeker, she may be the most accepting of the child.

The toddler perked up when she heard the rustle of light boots crushing through grass as Serah drew near, Lightning's own ears flickering at the sound, merely blinking as the toddler gripped her tail tip all the more tighter. Out of the shadows she came, the sunlight peeking out through the leaves dancing off her younger sister as she slowly walked towards them, smiling brightly at her. Much like Lightning, her ears and tail were white, though Serah's tail was much fluffier, hardly watered down with her lack of adventure outside the village. Steady in her hands was a plate of sliced fruits and vegetables, with spiced meats steaming in the center, something that smelled like sheep to Lightning's sensitive nose.

"Sheep tonight?" Lightning asked, watching Serah carefully as she waited out to see her reaction to the child. "Yep," Serah said, glancing down at the dish, her pale tail flickering happily, "Noel found an old one that was ready to go in his field. Decided to go ahead and take it out before it attracted lobos or whatever else would come after it. Unfortunately she wasn't fat, our meat will last a couple of days..."

Serah stared down at the child.

The child stared up at her over the tip of Lightning's tail.

"How long were you in that forest...?" Serah wondered.

Lightning scowled. "I did not mate Serah."

"Then why is there a child-"

"I found her in the river."

Serah looked up at her in alarm, her pale turquoise eyes wide. "That's horrible!" Serah gushed, practically throwing the dinner platter on a near table as she rushed down to the toddler. "What miqo'te would do that?"

"A miqo'te didn't do this Serah."

She saw what Lightning meant when she sat down, staring down at the child.

A human child.

Serah didn't know what to think or how to react to the sudden sight. "I... you..." Serah uttered out, shaking her head as she tried to wrap her mind around this, unsure what to do with herself. The toddler blinked up at her, just as confused, till her eyes caught sight of Serah's ears. Smiling broadly, she let go of Lightning's tail, reaching for the younger miqo'te's ears.

Serah instinctively drew away.

"She likes ears," Lightning warned.

"I can see that," Serah mused, settling with crawling around the human child, taking her in, comparing her. She looked a lot like a miqo'te cub, only her ears were small and round and fur less, and she had no tail, her nails were also short and round. And she was fangless, Serah guessing that she hasn't started teething yet.

"I'm going to take her to the Seeker," Lightning told Serah, continuing skinning her fish. "See if this child was sent by Nymeia."

"Why would Nymeia send us a human child?"

"I don't know. That's why I'm going to ask Yuel. Preferably alone."

"I doubt Caius would freak out much, probably worry if the girl's parents are near and looking for her..."

"Moss had been shaped into a cradle Serah, I can show you it if you want. I really do think she was put in that river and meant to be lost to it."

"I'd probably bring it just in case then to prove it. And there really is no reason for the Keeper to overreact. What's the worst a parentless babe could do? Gum us to death?"

"Grab our ears," Lightning said, her own flickering at the human's giggle.

"So long as she doesn't pull or twist them," Serah said with her own giggle, her tail coming around tickling over the child's face, earning more laughter from her. "When are you going to take her up?"

"Tomorrow."

* * *

Lightning laid the skillets out on the bare, hot stone, perched outside the pit fires that scattered over the square, keeping the cooked fish warm, the smell drifting out to the noses of passing miqo'te and successfully covering the smell of the human she brought with her, bundled up in a carrier that was slung over her shoulder, keeping the child with her as she slept. She had forgotten that today was Nophica's Grace, a harvest day where miqo'te would bring what they had to offer their village, and letting them trade for other items. Since there was nothing at home that Lightning was willing to get rid of, she offered half the fish she found, cooking it and offering a meal to the village.

Like other miqo'te that brought food to share, she traded her meals for trinkets, and gave it away freely to the hungry, curious mouths of cubs, sometimes getting flowers and odd stones and sticks from them if the cubs felt like joining the trade that the adults were doing. Smiling at each one that passed and took up a fish, taking whatever was offered, a flower, a jewel, a stone, a knife, or even another meal; Lightning patiently sought at out her Seeker, trying to find Yuel wandering around the village square, looking at all the wears and food. This was her only chance today of meeting and talking with the seer.

She had spotted Caius, the village Keeper, eyeing the spears that one miqo'te had up, the towering warrior exchanging words and critics with his fellow hunter. Like most Keepers, Caius was chosen to be Yuel's mate for being the strongest miqo'te in the village, for it, he was a fitting leader and protector. Lightning could recall a time when Caius was almost her own mate, her mother mentioned him a few times before he won his right as Keeper on Halone's Game Day. If he hadn't won as the strongest warrior of the miqo'te, Lightning suspected that her mother would have mentioned her to Caius.

Quite a pair they might have been. Two of village's best hunters, one infamous for his strength and ferocity, her for her speed and stealth; if they had become mated, no doubt their children could have easily been one of the best, even easily become the next Keeper. Sometimes Lightning wondered what they would have looked like if they did have cubs together. Would they have Caius's dark mane, ears, and tail? Would it be lighter? Would their eyes be violet or turquoise like hers?

Or a mix between the two colors?

Either way, it was something Lightning didn't muse about often.

Caius was Keeper and already mated, quite happily, to Yuel the Seeker, if she was not mistaken from what she heard, the two were trying to have a cub of their own, and that cub would be the next Seeker. If something happened to Yuel before that cub was born, Nymeia would choose the next Seeker, and with that new Seeker, a new Keeper.

"Man those look good."

"What do you have for me?" Lightning asked bluntly, staring up at her brother as he crouched over her fish, smelling it deeply. His blue eyes opened to her, flickering with a pout at her. His messy brown mane and wrinkled clothes told her that he had just woken up, not caring to dress appropriately for Grace Day. Probably felt no reason too since the only opinion that mattered loved seeing him all ruffled up. No doubt Serah would be right behind him, dressed and ready for the Grace. "Come on Light, we're siblings in Menphina's eyes, surely I could get a free fish."

"No trade, no fish."

"Serah would get a free fish," he grumbled, his brown ears back, his brown slender tail flickering behind him, a little agitated. "Serah is my sister," Lightning pointed out, "you're the boy who mated her. I gave you my blessing, shouldn't that be good enough?"

"We hunted in a pack together!"

"And who lead that pack?"

Noel sighed, then felt around the pockets of his blue, baggy legging; knives and daggers of all kind belted around his waist, slightly obscuring his dark grey shirt. "I can give you... this turtle shell!"

Lightning stared at the green and yellow shell, bored. "What would I do with a turtle shell?"

"It could make a great decoration," Serah offered, slipping up behind her mate and stretching out her body over his back, her arms resting over his shoulders as she nuzzled her cheek against his, both purring at the contact. Lightning's face wrinkled at the sight, her tail twitching in annoyance. "Save that for your den," she grumbled at them, making them both smirk childishly at her. "Is she being mean my sun?" Serah asked him, hugging him from behind.

"No, she's just being herself my moon," Noel eased, leaning against his love as he turned to catch her lips.

"I said keep it in the den."

"I doubt you would once you got a mate of your own," Serah sighed with her own grumble. "If you ever do."

"Menphina wills it, then he will come."

"Speaking of will, have you seen the Seeker yet?"

"Seeker? Something going on Lightning?" Noel asked.

"Nothing has come up Noel," Lightning assured. "And no Serah, I've been watching for her but she hasn't come by yet. She is out though, the Keeper's out and about."

"What's going on?" Noel insisted, frowning at them both.

"Nothing, nothing," Serah eased, wrapping her arms around his and dragging him up and away. "Sis is just concerned about the upcoming hunts. Now come on, there are some books I want to barter for."

"Hunts? Wait Serah, if there are hunts I should stay too-"

"Off to the scholar!" Serah shouted out, drowning out her mate as she dragged him off, leaving Lightning alone, shaking her head after them. Typical young mates. At least Serah was able to distract Noel from the babe with her. The thought of the human child drew Lightning over, casting her to check on the still sleeping infant, hardly disturbed by the life around her.

"It smells delightful."

Lightning started, perking up when she saw the very Seeker that she was looking for, standing over her skillets, smiling down as her green eyes flared bright against her dark blue hair, her dark ears with white tips perked up, same as her tail, as fluffy as Serah's with a white tip that was bright against the dark fur.

"My Seeker," Lightning murmured, bowing slightly to her, tilting her head down, her ears flat on her head respectfully.

"My hunter," she returned, "I'm glad to see that you're hunt went quite well. Catfish?"

"Yes my Seeker, from east of the village," Lightning confirmed, wrapping the skillet up in a leaf, handing it to Yuel.

"Oh my, the ones there are quite big," Yuel mused, holding it with one hand as she started to take off one of her bracelets with her teeth.

"You don't have to give me anything," Lightning said quickly.

"Its Grace Day," Yuel insisted, rolling it around so that it was balanced on her fingers, tilting her hand down so the bracelet would fall into Lightning's lap. "Even Seekers have to give back what they take."

"Then could I request something else," Lightning pressed her hand to Yuel's finger tips, keeping the jewel around her fingers. The Seeker blinked down at her curiously, her head tilting to the side. "What do you want?"

"A chance to talk to you alone," Lightning said, "my Seeker, I-"

She was cut off when a lone, dragging howl filled the air, stilling all the miqo'te in the village. Wide eyed and tense, they all stared out around themselves, their ears up as the listened and waited. It was common to hear howling, lobos hunted near their village sometimes, but never too close, and the wind carried their voices out as well.

All miqo'te knew what a lobo howl sounded like.

That was not a lobo's howl.

Soon, the shudder of trees started to hum in the air as something large started to force its way through, deep throaty growls and grunts tingling in between the sharp snaps and creaks of the forest as something moved towards them. The miqo'te jumped into action when they all heard Caius roar out. Mothers, fathers, and all studious miqo'te snatched up children and any that were too young to fight, pulling, dragging, and carrying them all to the tree in the center of their village, one of the largest tree in the whole forest. Lightning grabbed Yuel herself, dragging the stiff Seeker towards the tree, her heart pounding as the heavy pants and stomps of the heavy beast got louder and louder.

Practically shoving Yuel up the tree, she sharply pulled the carrier off her own shoulder and shoved it into the arms of the closest miqo'te that was about to climb. "Guard her!" she ordered the baffled feline before catching one of the spears thrown out and around all their hunters, all poising and gathering together to stand in front of the tree, ready to fight to the death to protect it. Behind them, the defended miqo'te scrambled high into the tree tops, most out of sight among the leaves and safe.

Knocking a few trees down, a large, strange creature came out of the woods and into their village. It looked like a mix between a dragon and a dog, that was the best way to describe the being with its purple fur, thick, golden mane, glaring red eyes with bared fangs with twin curving, savage horns poised above, and a rigid sail going down its back and along its thick tail.

They watched at it stared at them, snorting as its long, pink tongue slid out and slapped up at its muzzle. When its head lowered, they braced themselves for a charge. Instead of charging though, it merely turned away, sniffing and snorting at the ground, wandering around the square, easily ignoring all the food and the trinkets left scattered on the ground. It didn't seem to have any interest in stopping at all, till it dove down on a carrier and tore it up with its fangs. As the folds of skin and wool fell to the ground, the monster found and torn apart three more abandoned carriers with no cubs inside for it to taste. Frustrated it finally turned to the cluster of miqo'te lifting its nose and sniffing the air deeply.

Roaring at them, it charged, its large body heaving as it moved, muscles rippling with its stretch of its body.

Shouting out loud and clear, Caius split up the hunters, diving them so they would be able to take the creature down from all sides. Grasping their spears, daggers, and swords, miqo'te that could get in close jumped at the creature, while archers stayed back, shooting at the monster, and the few, small number of mages they had, shot damaging spells at it, trying to better the hunters chances as they they cut and clawed at the monster's hide.

It snarled and screeched at them, its charge cut off as the cat-human race piled up along its body, their yowls and hisses filling it head. It twisted and jumped under them, trying hard to buck them off. But with every miqo'te it managed to throw away, another was there to take its place, or an arrow or spear stole it away.

Caius was the mightiest of them all, taking his large, savage sword, he fought the monster head to head, swinging it across its face, slashing back at its fangs, keeping that mouth locked on him and away from the surrounding hunters. Lightning ran up along its hide, and dove down along its back and sliding up to its head. Baring back her spear, she dove it hard into its eye, and when the monster reared back to snap and scream, Caius's sword was lodged hard into its throat.

All was still for a few minutes, everyone soaking in the sudden attack before the monster collapsed, toppling a few miqo'te from its body, and leaving it nothing more than a bleeding mass in the center of their village.

Breathing hard, Caius ripped his sword from the monster's throat, turning just in time to meet his Seeker as she clambered down and rushed to his side, her hands coming up and checking his body for any wounds.

Lightning jumped down as well, rising up just in time to see Noel and Serah rush to her, her sister holding the toddler she had found, likely taking it out of the one miqo'te hands. "Thank Nymeia you're both ok," she gushed, pulling them into a tight hug. Noel quickly returned it while Lightning simply rested her arms around Serah, nuzzling her head. When she heard the toddler whimper, Lightning managed to take her out of Serah's grasp, opening the carrier up to see the started toddler, staring up at her with big, nervous eyes.

"Its dead," Lightning told her, bringing the carrier close and letting the toddler lean against her shoulder. "Its dead... it was after you wasn't it?"

The girl made a noise, reaching out and tugging at Lightning's hair, playing with the pale pink locks.

"Farron."

She and Serah stiffened at the firm voice, slowly turning to see their Keeper and Seeker stare right at them, along with the rest of the clan. "When did you have cub?" the Keeper demanded suspiciously.

"Never," Lightning answered.

"Then why do you have cub?" he pressed, keeping Yuel back when she moved to go near Lightning. Lightning herself scowled and tightened her grip on the carrier. "I found her in the river, drifting down." Yuel broke away from her mate, coming up to Lightning and holding out her arms. Reluctantly, she put the toddler in Yuel's hands, watching as the Seeker held the child carefully, moving the folds aside to get a good look at the stiffened at the sight of her.

"A human child," she said aloud, making the miqo'te tense and murmur around them. Caius bared his fangs, his mane rising like hackles, his ears folding back as his tail snapped aggressively. "What is _that_ doing here!" he snarled at her, the rest of the miqo'te narrowing their eyes at Lightning. "I found her in the river," Lightning repeated.

"And you brought her here!"

"Who would leave a child?" Noel jumped in, holding Serah close as he glared at Caius.

Before Caius could snap at the hunter, Yuel said, "Her name is Averia." All miqo'te stared at Yuel, watching expectantly as her eyes glowed white. "She is special," she went on, "she will be the humans Seeker, and will turn them away from the Corrupted Three and return humans to the Twelve, maybe even some day reunite the miqo'te and humans."

The crowd murmured uneasily at that.

"Is she to be raised by miqo'te?" Serah asked.

"No. By humans." Yuel looked up, staring right at Lightning. "But a miqo'te will need to take her to the humans. To choose a family that will keep her safe and raise her well."

"What?" Lightning demanded, "You want me to go out and look for this family?" To leave her home, her sister and her clan?

"You were the one that brought her here," Caius grumbled.

"You joined the spark of change when you picked her up from the river. It is you who has to find her a family," Yuel told her, handing the toddler, Averia, back to Lightning. "Just check around the edge of our land and give her to the best family you can find as soon as you can, the world outside is no place for miqo'te and the Twelve can't reach or help you there." Lightning frowned, glancing down at the bundle in her arms, squeezing the fur of the carrier to relieve some of the stress she was feeling.

She should have seen this coming. Should have seen where this would go, should have expected to be tasked with giving the child away to a rightful family, especially since she wasn't going to be raised by the miqo'te.

She should have just gone ahead and head out, looking for a family outside their forest.

"I'll accompany you," Noel promised, "I'll help you-"

"You shall not," Caius snarled, baring his fangs. "This is Lightning's task alone. She picked it up alone, she'll see it off alone."

Noel shot Caius a dark look. "She's my mate's sister, and my own-"

"She'll be one less hunter for us to have, I won't loose two to a _human _child."

"He is right," Lightning said automatically, quickly cutting Noel off. "I'll go Keeper, by myself."

Caius huffed, turning away and stomping off, his dark tail trailing behind him. "Where a hood," Yuel told her, "hide your ears, maybe even a cloak for your tail, otherwise keep it wrapped around your waist. If humans discover you, you'll be captured."

"Any specific human I should look for my Seeker?"

"Trust your judgement. I didn't see any particular human, and Nymeia did not mention any names... though she did mention star, look for the star, and be wary of the night sky." Lightning raised an eye brow at that, but nodded none the less. The Twelve must have had a reason to mention those, she'd find out soon enough.

Look for the star, and be wary of the night sky.

"May Llymlaen guide and Oschon watch over you outside our home," Yuel bid to Lightning, "Nymeia be with you."

"May the Twelve watch over us all," Lightning returned to her, bowing slightly as the Seeker turned and wandered after her mate, no doubt to console and calm him, something only mates are truly able to do for one another when one is upset. Glancing back at Serah and Noel, her fellow hunter holding her close while he eyed her grimly, Serah watching worriedly. The other miqo'te around them drew away, murmuring and casting suspicious and nervous eyes her way, and at the child in her arms.

"Watch my den while I'm gone," Lightning told her.

Serah squeezed Noel's shirt, her tail curling nervously as her ears fell back. "You're not supposed to leave like this..." Serah murmured. "I'll come back," Lightning assured her, "I'll just be gone for a while." She turned her eyes to Noel. "Watch over her and the village."

"Always," he said, squeezing Serah's shoulders. "Just... watch yourself."

Lightning nodded, feeling a little numb and unsteady as she adjusted her hold on the child, walking back to her home, her mind flying as she planned and readied for her journey out of the forest and to the human's world as the first miqo'te to leave and head out.

* * *

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**.**

**averia was lightning's original name, along with having silver hair.  
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**the miqo'te in this are very similar to the farseers culture in FF13-2 where they purposely isolate themselves from the world and rely on the land. Seekers and Keepers are the leaders instead of being two different types of miqo'te, with Keepers being head hunters and act as the guardian of the clan and Seekers are able to commune with the Twelve. Keepers are usually male and Seekers usually female.  
**

**the twelve gods make up the religion in in FF14 and will also play a role in Averia as a religion that the miqo'te live by and follow, if more info is desired, i can post information, or look them up on the FF wiki. for the gods that appeared in this chapter:**

**Thaliak is a river god and known for his wisdom**  
**Nymeia is a goddess of fate**  
**Nophica is the goddess of harvest**  
**Menphina is the goddess of love and the moon**  
**Llymlael is god of navigation and of the ocean**  
**Oschon is the god of travels and the mountains**

**noel is one of the guys i like pairing serah up with, and this will probably be one of the few, or possibly only story for him and serah to be paired together. the other pairing is her and prompto; serah and snow i can tolerate but honestly i have a distaste for them, in 13 they seemed more crushes to me, and 13-2 didn't make them any better, especially when snow left serah alone to look for lightning.  
**

**caius and yuel i'm open with though i do see them more like father and daughter, i do have a fondness for lightning and caius, don't worry though, i love lightis much, much more. **


	2. Promise: Red Eyes

**falsum in uno, falsum in omnibus should be updated soon for those that read it. expect it sometime this week. **

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**.**

**.**

**Promise: She agreed to share immortality with him, to keep him sane, just to save humanity from his pain.**

**_Red Eyes_**

* * *

Its been a long, long war. At least, to Lightning, it has been, she doubted it was a long war for him. But whether it was long or not for either of them, it was something that Lightning just couldn't ignore, this fight itself saw to it personally. It was a war of explosions, screams, cries, and his thundering, enraged, and pained roar to deaf them all before the rush of water came down and crushed them all, or the hiss of large, cutting ice shards falling from his mouth. No matter where she turned, there was a sound of destruction, loss, pain, and rage.

So with all this that's going on, she was unnerved by the sudden silence. Wood smoked like it was on fire, though there was never a flame to eat it for it had been doused and fried at the same time. Men lay dead, though a few moans reassured her that there were some that still lived. She herself being one of them. Caked in warm mud, steam rising off her own body, Lightning sat a little slumped against one of the last few standing buildings of Oerba. Opening her eyes, she stared out, taking in the sight of crushed and dented buildings, seeing the steam and smoke rise off them, mud and water flooded the ground, leaving everything damp and dark, with only the moon to light the night.

It was in the moonlight that she saw him, the cause of all this destruction. He stood as a man in the center of it all, his skin pale, his clothes dark and worn, his hair black, wild, glossy, and gleaming in the moonlight. His eyes were a dead, dim cobalt, unseeing to the destruction around him.

Leviathan.

The monster that came out of nowhere and started to attack and destroy the cities of Pulse, slowly drowning the world away.

Where anger and hate should have ignited, Lightning sat still, neutral, and slumped, simply watching him as he stood alone in the mist of it all, looking like he himself was still processing the sight. He was not smiling, he was not happy, or even remotely enjoying the battle he won. A sight she's seen over and over again, awake enough to see him like this after each and every battle, staring at the desolation while she stared at him till he left, wandering away in a daze till the next attack.

He just seemed empty and sad. His posture was slumped and heavy, his head barely high, and his eyes had lost their light.

He was a man that has given up.

She's seen it before. On soldiers when they realized they were fighting a loosing battle, they either slumped or they rose to kill as many as they could; she's seen it on petty liars that had been caught and outwitted; she's seen it on her father and her mother. She was sure of herself, that he had given up.

But why take it out on them? Why turn into a monster, tearing apart the world... It made no sense to her.

How could he even turn into a monster? Or was he even human at all?

She was surprised to see him the first time, when he attacked the capital, Eden. A strange man that she mistook for a civilian, staring in the middle of it all. She had nearly jumped down to yell at him and drag him away before the monster lurked back, but one commander knew what he really was, must have seen him change. He came running at the man, sword raised, and right before her very eyes the commander had been killed, ethereal weapons swarming around him, steam sliding off each of them, steam flying out of his nose like silver smoke, and his eyes glinted a glowing red.

He couldn't be human. She was sure he wasn't.

What man could have eyes like those, and powers like those?

He turned to wander away as he always did, leaving the city a soaked and crumbled heap. No one flew up to meet his weapons or his smaller, deceivingly weaker form. With him leaving, she slowly started to move, her body cold and shivering, the water on her chilling her too the bone. Grasping pieces of wood and pulling herself up, Lightning stood and balanced herself as best she could. She only took a step before she froze, looking up just in time to see cold, glowing red eyes locked right on her.

She didn't move.

And neither did he.

On and on the stared at each other, observing and waiting for the other to move. While she was stiff and numb, tensing slowly as the seconds ticked, her body aching as the muscles wound up, readying to push herself into a run if she could help it. He on the other hand stood calmly, simply staring at her; judging and uncaring like he himself was debating on whether she was worth the effort.

That probably was what he was considering.

Was she worth the energy?

She wasn't going to wait to find out.

Slowly, carefully, she eased back, praying that he didn't notice. There was a ten foot drop behind her, to the lower section of Eden, with a tangle of pipes, roads, bridges, and buildings for her to weave through that he would have a challenge to follow. Also a good chance to hide there as well, if she did manage to get away. And if he didn't give chase. And if he did... her thoughts went to Serah, waiting back home in Bodhum.

She couldn't die here. Wouldn't die here. She wasn't going to leave her sister alone like her own parents did. Neither of them were going to abandon each other. So when he moved, taking a single step towards her, indicating that yes, he did notice; Lightning bared her teeth at him in a similar snarl he himself bore before turning and running, jumping up high into the air and eagerly letting herself fall, just catching the look of surprise on his face before the wall hid him. Free falling, Lightning angled herself till her boots hit the steep slant of the wall, the shock hard on her feet, but she gritting her teeth and pushed through it, slanting her body so she slid down with the wall, listening to it hiss beneath her.

As she neared the ground, she jumped off, hit the ground with rough roll and laid there for a moment, her body bruised and aching, feeling cold with the shadow of a beam cast over her, darkening the already grey world. Breathing shaky pants, she tried to listen past her own breathe and heart, listen for the pad of running feet, or the growl of hard scales on the concrete ground. She couldn't catch either though, and she slumped, her forehead pressed hard to the rough, concrete floor, wincing as she tried to work through the aches and pains.

Then she heard it, the scrape of scales on the ground, slithering closer and closer, grumbling like the thunder of an approaching storm.

But he was much worse than a storm. He was a storm.

Looking up, she caught the large, dark, towering form of a snake like creature with jagged scales, and long, curving tentacles that weaved slightly in the air and with his own movement, his eyes glowing bright like fire against his shadowed form.

He was coming to her as a monster.

She wondered if she should feel flattered he was nervous or intrigued enough to chase after her, and as the beast too. Baring her teeth at him a snarl, she jumped up and ran, ignoring as her body ached, pushing past the heavy feeling trying to weigh her down. A thundering grumble followed after her, along with a heavy scrape of scales dipping down as the monster trailed after her, his glowing red eyes never leaving her form as he watched her speed away. She heard the light intake of breathe as the serpent opened his mouth, no doubt ready to drown and electrocute her like many others of his prey.

Unfortunately for him, Lightning wasn't good at standing still.

A snap of her fingers, and the Grav con (thank Etro it was working) lit up, swarming around her whole body, making her feel weightless despite how burdened her own body felt. Instead of watching, she listened for the rush, listened for the waves. She heard them come as a jet, and she jumped, high into the air, grabbing a looming bridge and spinning herself onto it, crouching immediately as a spray of way and electricity shot past her, wincing as a few drops hit her skin, shocking her slightly. Bearing with it, she tightened her grip on the bar, waiting for the water to pass.

The serpent closed his mouth with a loud snap, red eyes peering down the way, searching for the body. Lightning kept still, waiting for him to turn and slither away. She held her breathe when his tongue slid, slapping and twirling in the air as his eyes continued to roam the ground.

He didn't find her.

His tongue slid back in and he slowly turned away, though his red eyes strayed, looking for any moving shadows before he completely turned away and slithered off. Finally, leaving her alone.

Lightning sighed in relief, slumping heavily against the bars of the bridge's railing, barely even noticing the discomfort of the metal digging into her back as she laid there, aching and trembling from the cold dampness set over her, from the sores and bruises on her body, and the slight steam rising off her from where the bursts of sparked water hit her. She decided she was simply going to lie there for a while, rest and wait out the pain and exhaustion. She might be mistaken for dead, but she wouldn't be the first ghost to come back to struggle for another day. Sighing to herself, she let her eyes fall close.

A muffled shout rouse her and Lightning blinked a few times, wincing as she saw the rain platter down over the drowned city and soldier, soaking her all the more. Moving slowly, her body shaking and clammy, she slid herself up, not feeling a thing as she sat up and still, staring out dazedly. It was like she was in a dream. Her limbs weren't her own, her thoughts muddled, the only thing she could make sense was a distant noise that kept shouting out, a dull buzz to her ears.

_-ing._

_Ighting!_

_Lightning!_

She blinked as the word started to become a little clear. Perking up, she grasped the bars behind her and pulled her up a little, her mouth dry and her tongue thick, she managed out a weak, "Here..."

_Lightning! Lightning where are you?!_

"Here!" she tried again, a little louder.

A thud of feet tickled near, and she slouched back, knowing that she was heard, waiting to see who was looking for. A familiar white figure landed in front of her, just as soaked as she was, his clothes tight and heavy against his skin, his face barely visible as his black hair clung and covered his face. Despite the black strands, his amber grey eyes were clear as a star against his hair. "Lightning," he breathed, rushing to her, his own clammy hands ghosting over her cheek, brushing dark red hair away as he overlooked her.

"Hey," she managed out, blinking water out of her eyes as it continued to pour.

"Can you walk?" he asked.

She tried to move her legs but the most she could get was a twitch, and sadly shook her head. Grimly, he moved his hands, slipping them under her arms and pulling her up as he himself rose. Unbalanced, she slumped against his broad chest, feeling the wet shirt against her cheek and the warm skin beneath it, nearly lulling her to sleep.

"Focus Lightning," he insisted, adjusting his grip on her, shouting out something she didn't catch as she continued to drift. "Lightning!" Opening her eyes, she saw another rush towards him, his own brown hair dark from the water, his clothes also soaked through. "Man you look like shit," the man murmured, making Lightning frown weakly at him, while the man that held her scoffed. "We all look like shit Ryg, come one, Lightning's not going to make it back to the truck, and I'm not sure I can get us both there either."

"Gotcha, we got everyone else, well except the... you know," Rygdea told him, coming around and draping one of Lightning's arms over his shoulder, both men starting off in some direction, likely for the truck that would take them home. Murmurs flew over her ears as the two carried her on till they reached the truck, where many other moaning soldiers were piled and slumped to the wall. Lightning was slid and dragged into the truck and left on the wall, the warmth of their bodies leaving her near the end of the truck as the climbed in themselves. With a loud bang, the truck started to move away, as it start to move, Lightning's head lulled back, letting her watched the ruins of Oerba move around them.

In the distance the monster watched them go, his form dark and hidden, red eyes glowing bright against the shadows casts around him.

* * *

Angry voices rang to and fro, snarling and batting at one another as they argued and plotted on what to do. Lightning hung outside the room, one of the stationed guards, wincing at each snarl, catching only a few of the words that managed to force themselves out. It was enough that she got what was going on inside.

The PSICOM wanted to continue to fight while the GC simply wanted to sneak everyone underground and wait it out, pray that Leviathan would fall asleep and they could repopulate the land and rebuild their homes. Perhaps last a few centuries before he possibly woke again and tore havoc at the land again.

Lightning blew a few strand hairs out of her face with a slight huff. Why they couldn't do a mix of them was beyond her. Put civilians underground and have the soldiers remain above, with only a few underground with them, training them how to fight, and showing them all possible escape routes and what to do if Leviathan came.

But the GC doesn't want anybody left on the surface as their numbers started to drastically drop at a frightening rate, and the PSICOM refuse to let anyone go down thinking that they would only trap themselves as the serpent was sure to find them. He could always find them, could always sense and feel where they are. No matter what they did, Leviathan always knew. PSICOM was thinking that it was best to stand their ground and fight to the last man standing.

Personally she was with PSICOM, but did think that they could approach the situation in different ways.

If there were... there had to be more than shooting at a rock scaled serpent that only got angrier at each bullet or bomb that was thrown his way. And getting close to him while he was human without getting stabbed to death. Just what to do about it...

"Still alive I see."

Lightning grimaced, choosing not to reply or acknowledge the current annoyance in her life. "Aw come on Sis," Snow Villiers insisted, coming up to stand in front of her, easily looming over her and encasing her in his shadow. Not liking it, Lightning shoved him back a little, glaring at him. "I'm not your sister," she grumbled back. "And what do you want now?"

"Here to relieve duty," he declared, give her a mock salute.

Lightning left, choosing not to respond to the salute at all and ignoring the grumbles she left behind. The GC side of this argument was right. They were loosing people, and drastically so. To keep up with soldiers they were letting adolescent groups like Snow and his gang into the branches now, giving them guns, offering training and tasking them with the lives of people that couldn't handle the soldier's way of life and were terrified of the coming serpent.

But what more could they do?

As possibilities swirled in her head, her feet took her to the empty barracks where she changed out of her uniform and into more comfortable wear. A loose grey shirt and worn jeans. She kept her boots and gunblade with her, stashing the rest in her respective locker before checking out entirely and leaving the building and the angry argument behind. The streets of Bodhum were empty and hushed, fear of Leviathan chasing most people into their homes, sleeping with one eye open, always peering out the windows for the large water snake. She always felt like a ghost walking through the empty streets, especially when Bodhum used to be one of the msot infamous night owls in all of Pulse.

It became dead at night when Leviathan first struck Eden, and totaled all governmental officials, leaving only the military leaders and a few unseasoned politicians to stand and watch over the remaining people and fight off the monster of the deep.

Lightning never thought she'd miss the bustling life that came at night, but no one wanted to lurk about after dark, no one wanted a chance to see Leviathan. Some even swear by saying his name alone would summon him. Lightning paused on her walk home, the sand loose beneath her boots, waves rising up and reaching her, trying to get some of her wet. Staring off at the dark horizon, she dared it.

"Leviathan," she whispered to the air, thinking not of the monster but of the man that always came to inspect the damage. It was just a matter of time before he came to Bodhum, till he inspected all that he did to the Seaside City. The evacuation should be starting soon, unless Levaithan could be stopped before he reached Bodhum.

Her head turned back, glancing past the building she left to the road that they took to Oerba a good few days ago, where twenty one out of five hundred returned home, soaked but alive.

She wouldn't be surprised to think that he was on the way now.

Her hand sliding down till she touched the handle of Blazefire, find some comfort at the touch and feel of the material, Lightning changed direction, hiking away from home and to the trail she had just returned from.

She wanted to try something that no one has ever tried, to her knowledge.

And if it didn't work out...

She'll have to call once she was outside the city, leave one last message, one last "I love you".

Likely, she wouldn't be returning.

* * *

The hum of the bike she took was loud as she pulled into Oerba. Much too loud for her liking with her alone in the dank, dark, empty city where Leviathan may or may not be lurking. Cutting the engine and silencing the bike, Lightning drew away from it and slowly walked down the slick street, her eyes adjusting to each shadow, trailing them as she tried to find the serpent among the rubble. Or a man.

So far, there was nothing of him. No glint of red, no out of place reptilian head watching her go by, not even a shape of a man staring down at her from the roofs and allies. She wondered if he was even still here. Or would she even know before he dove down and ate her whole.

Lightning swept around her, looking up and down the buildings and shadows, looking for any glint of red. Again, she saw nothing. Warily, she pressed on, looking at the damage he did with fresh eyes, taking in the details of his power, of the lives that were left scattered along the concrete ground. After a long while, she stopped looking for Leviathan, merely eyeing what was done to Oerba and grimacing the whole way through, pitying the lives that were lost, and the city that was lost to the water now, thick around her boots, swirling with every step she took.

She wondered how the people reacted when Leviathan came. Lightning never saw or knew since he had already destroyed half of it when they arrived, the civilians presumed escorted away long before Leviathan came. But they didn't always know when he came. Oerba could have been very unlucky...

"So you did survive."

She started, whirling around, her gunblade raised out before her, ready to catch whatever sharp point was coming her way. No blade or tooth came at her, merely the red eyed man standing there, watching her. He didn't look angry or even tense, his whole posture relaxed and slumped, not giving her any indication of when he was going to move, and if he would. Lightning mirrored him, returning Blazefire back into her sheath and relaxing her stance as well. "So I did," she offered, "is that bad?"

"Rare," he said, slowing walking towards her, wandering around her as his eyes slid up and down her form. Lightning forced herself to be still, feeling like a chocobo being stalked and judged by a lobo, with surperior fangs and claws and a bad bite full of rotting bacteria. She had her own claws though, and she was ready to use them if he charged.

"Why did you come back?" he pressed, still walking around her though he turned his gaze away, now bored and simply staring at the ruins around him. "No one ever comes back. They run, hide, and plan. That's all they ever do. And its getting boring."

"I'm not a part of those plans," Lightning declared.

"Are you against them?"

"No."

"Then why are you here?" he wondered, turning back to her, his eyes flickering over her with a frown. "Why come back when no one else would?"

"These were homes, two of my closest friends used to live here. Give it a couple more days and they'll wander in themselves to see it."

He growled, his lips curling up and showing her pointed fangs. "Don't try and guilt me human. I stopped feeling guilty a long time ago. I stopped caring a long time ago."

"Then why are you talking to me?" she pressed back, crossing her arms, her hip naturally jutting out as she glared at him, hardly deterred by the angry gleam in his red eyes. "Why do you care if I came back or not?"

"No human ever comes back this fast. I'm curious. You came because you wanted to see me, yes?"

"I did."

"Then what do you want?" he pressed, his tone clipped and impatient.

Licking her lips to keep from snarling back at him, Lightning said, "I want this madness to stop."

His flared defiantly and a deep growl ripped out from his throat. He took a step closer, and another, and another till he was looming over her, his eyes burning bright like a fire. Lightning held her ground rebelliously, though her hand twitched down to Blazefire, wondering if backing down would have been the best option. "You want it to stop?" he sneered, "For this all to stop?" He drew away with a mad laugh, though he still stood close. "I've been wanting it to stop for a long time now. I've been waiting for it to stop. But it never stops. _Never_."

"What doesn't stop?" Lightning asked warily.

"Life," he hissed, "it never ends, it never stops. It goes on, and on, and on. Always, new faces, old grudges, old wars, old arguments. Its just a new face each and every time. I'm tired of it. I'm tired of the wars. I'm tired of the noise. I'm tired of this."

"Why can't you make it stop?" she asked, what did he want to stop? His own life?

"I tried," he said, "by Etro I tried. I did every known suicide to man. Bullets, swords, heights, drowning, fire... Nothing. It never ends."

"You can't die..." Lightning murmured, her blood chilling as it clicked in her head that he couldn't be killed. The pain, anger, and frustration clear in his eyes. "No," he confirmed, "I can't. I tried. I tried over and over again. For seven hundred years I tried... And I'm done. I'm done hearing life begin and end. I'm done with it all."

"So you snapped?" Lightning mused aloud.

With a sharp growl she was pinned hard against a still standing wall, his red eyes locked right on her. "You would too," he swore to her. "You would too if you lasted as long as I have, see all your friends and family age with you staying eternally young, seeing the world grow, fall, and change before your eyes..." He leaned in, hot steaming breathe ghosting over her cheek. His grip on her trembled a little as he pressed her against the wall. "Your sanity wouldn't last long either. You'd snap too."

"How?" she wondered.

"It was an eidolon, attacking a kingdom, and land that I was sent to save, instead of destroying it, I wound up becoming one with it. Eidolon lives forever, connecting to many and loyal to none," he answered, his grip weak now as he drooped a little. Lightning started as well, the term eidolon ringing in her own head. Serah the history nut babbles about them sometimes. Eidolons, ancient creatures from the dead realm Valhalla, children of Etro. They could be summoned to kill, be an ancient's house guard, and so on. She also remembered a few other things that Serah had babbled about...

They were supposed myths now, till Leviathan came. She tried to imagine how hold he must be since the last eidolon sighting.

"Was it the solitude," Lightning managed out and he froze, his grip stiff on her body. "Was it the loneliness that drove you mad, that made you snap."

Slowly, he drew away, releasing her, staring at her with wide, surprised eyes. "What of it?" he asked slowly. "I'll... I'll help you," Lightning managed out, keeping her eyes locked on him, gripping her gunblade hard as she steeled her own nerves. "How?" he wondered, narrowing his eyes. "You're an eidolon, or you have one inside you, a heart of chaos."

"What of it," he growled.

"You can split it."

"And share it with you?" he bellowed, baring his fangs. "You're a fool, wanting a long life?!"

"Believe me, its the last thing I want."

"Then why offer."

"Sooner of later you'll turn to Bodhum, you'll turn to my home. To where my sister is. I won't have it."

"And you think granting you immortality would stop me?"

"No, but a companion might."

He blinked at that, staring at her and then looking over her again as if seeing her for the first time. "A companion?" he repeated, the word sounding alien to him. "Someone to help burden the years with you," she said carefully. "If solitude drove you mad, then maybe you'll need a companion to stand by you will help, keep you sane."

"And in return I leave Bodhum alone?"

"You leave humanity alone and I will spend the rest of time with you."

He didn't say anything, simply staring at her, debating and comparing. Lightning grimaced, keeping herself still as she waited against the wall. He'd either refuse and kill then go on this crusade, or he accepts and...

She'd outlive Serah, outlive her family and friends. Was it worth it? Becoming immortal to see them all fall or to let Leviathan kill the rest of the world?

"It'll be a hard life," Leviathan said, catching her attention, stepping closer, his red eyes dimming to blue. "It'll be long and never ending. You'll loose your family and your friends. You can't fall in love, or start a family of your own either."

"You don't think I realize that?" Lightning shot back, meeting his eyes. "If it'll save my sister, if it'll save my people, I will stay with you. You'll never be alone again."

He moved swiftly, faster than Lightning was prepared for. Their foreheads touched, cobalt staring into light, pale blues. Her hand was lifted and placed over his heart, as his own hand rested on her chest, other free hand instinctively wrapping around that wrist. Lightning sucked in a sharp breathe as energy swelled in her, hot and cold filling her, spreading through her veins, a storm brimming through her soul as a force touched against her own heart and another life connected to her, brimming with energy, with sorrow, exhaustion, and frustration. Her own fear, her own unease, and surprise seeped out of her, echoing into him as his own breathe caught in surprise.

"Its done," he whispered.

* * *

**leviathan is the first confirmed summon to appear in FF15, to my knowledge design is a mix in between leviathan in 14 and 15, though more along the lines of 14.  
**

**i like to think of lightning, rygdea, and cid being friends or some kind of trio in the military academy then went their separate ways when lightning decided to remain in bodhum and cid and rygdea moved up the ranks. **


	3. Promise: Welcome to Bodhum

**as a heads up, school is starting so there will be slower updates for all stories that i'm working on. **

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**Promise: She agreed to share immortality with him, to keep him sane, just to save humanity from his pain.**

**_Welcome to Bodhum  
_**

* * *

Lightning woke with a start, her body cold, heavy, and wet. Her hair and clothes clung to her form tightly, wrapped and gripping her with the water that soaked them through. The driest material on her was a dampening black dress shirt laid loosely over her shoulders, a shirt that was not her own or would never have owned. Soldiers had no use for dress shirts, even if Serah herself mentioned a few times that she'd look good in one and wear one, specifically for dates. Not that dates matter much now, as they did before.

Breathing in slowly, she smelled the dank air of stone, rain, and moss. Listening, she heard the ever going drum of a lazy rain falling over the area, _drip drip drip _went the beat, along with a few fat drops of a _bang _as water hit something metal and hollow. Even with the off key drum, Lightning found the music of the rain around her soothing and relaxing, nearly lulling back to sleep by the noise, her cold body turning warm as the cold slid into her veins and wrapped around her bones.

Something moved though, probing her in some strange way, rousing her from the sleep that she was reaching for. Frowning, Lightning tried to push it away, trying to ignore it, but it was insistent, pushing more and more till finally she woke.

Forcing her eyes open and blinking carefully, she slowly sat up from the rough wall that she was placed against, her body straining slightly from the movement the cold making her limbs clumsy and weak as she tried to move. Gripping the dark shirt with one hand, holding it tightly like it was a lifeline, she looked around, almost didn't recognize the Oerban ruins looming around her. She trembled a little as she stared up at them, her grip on the shirt tightening as she stared up at the empty city, the walls bigger than she remembered, much taller than she remembered. Lightning suddenly felt very small.

She didn't remember why she was here.

Didn't they already cover this? Didn't they already fail? Leviathan hit this place hard so why was she-

Oh.

Oh Etro.

That's right.

She came looking for him, for Leviathan.

And he accepted.

Oh dear Etro.

She did it.

She actually did it.

She slumped back against the wall, letting go of the dress shirt and feeling the material roll off her shoulders. She didn't bother to reach for it again. It must have been _his._ She smears a hand over her face as she simply sat against the wall, she tries not to think before the shock of it overwhelmed her, or the dread of it. Of what she had just done, what she just agreed too.

"Oh dear Etro," she whispered to herself.

She did it.

She actually did it.

She made a pact with an eidolon, to be an immortal companion... it didn't seem possible. She didn't feel any different. It was almost like the whole encounter that she had was nothing more than a dream. Maybe it was. Maybe she just ended up left behind in Oerba, waiting out her wounds, sleeping away till she woke. She didn't get anything too serious that resting couldn't heal, bruises and a shaken body. Maybe that was it and she just dreamed it all.

She started when she felt something brush against her, not physically, but emotionally; just like before when she nearly went back to sleep. Unease, curiosity, and fear. Three emotion rang through her, three emotions that weren't her own. Sitting up, Lightning scanned the ruins, stilling when she caught sight of a familiar man slowly, almost shyly, step out of the shadows, a small plate of fruit in his hands as he stared at her cautious, peering at her with a neutral expression, as if he was calm and hardly bothered by what happened.

But by what she was feeling, he was far from it.

"What's going on?" she demanded as he walked over to her slowly, as if each step he took was going to make her snap and attack on spot; he was ready to bolt back if she did by what his body and feelings gave off. Gripping the plate hard, his legs were stiff as he moved, and his eyes would flicker every five seconds, from her to the ruins behind first aggressive more she made, Leviathan would turn tail and flee.

A fairly funny thought, if the situation was any different.

She was feeling what he was, and by how nervous he was looking with each second that ticked by, she could get a sense that he was feeling her own. She didn't know what to think about that, being able to feel each others emotions... She didn't like she decided. Always the private person, she didn't like it when people pried or looked in her, trying to figure her out. And now someone could. She growled as he stopped in front of her, and he froze a little before he moved again.

"We are bound now," he said, crouching down a few feet from her, presenting the plate like he was present a peace treaty. A plate of strawberries, apples, blue, and black berries. His eyes, a deep cobalt blue instead of the infamous red she knew so well, stared right at her as he asked, "...or do you regret it now?"

_"We are bound now..."_

Lightning grimaced, snatching up an apple and tearing right into, not choosing to respond. She herself didn't even know the answer to that, but it was a little late now.

"That doesn't tell me what's going on," she growled out, wincing as she found that she was hungrier than she thought as she ate the apple away already nearly gone after two bites, her stomach curling, wanting more than the one red fruit. The unease she felt grew and she glared up at him, her agitation filling and overwhelming it as it grew. Leviathan looked away, shifting uneasily from under her glare and annoyance.

"To be immortal... to last as long as I do, I... I had to give you a heart of chaos, and the only way to would be to give you half of mine... I don't even know or remember how I did it."

"So because I have half your heart..."

"You can feel my emotions, and I yours," he finished, blushing a little, embarrassment seeping out of him. For what or why, she didn't understand and for the moment, didn't care too. It was confirmed. They could feel each other and she was eternally open to him, to know what she was feeling and possibly thinking where everyone else wouldn't.

Wasn't that just great?

Lightning threw the apple core away and grabbed another, eating it much slower than the first as she simply sat and ate, not thinking about the situation, of what it meant. Instead she focused on what she did. She saved the world. Her people could live on, Oerba could be rebuilt, and Bodhum will be safe, Serah will be safe.

All at the cost that she would be stuck with him, and that they would know what the other was feeling.

Was it the right price to pay?

Only time would tell.

* * *

Honestly, he didn't know what to think or why he even did this.

He didn't think he'd see that woman again. He didn't think he'd ever get such an offer. He didn't think he'd accept it and do it.

But he did.

Noctis sighed quietly so the woman across from his wouldn't hear as she ate her breakfast away. He couldn't fathom what happened or what lead up to this. When he first saw her, she was just another survivor, one that would come back and attack him again, like all others. And like all others, he gave it one more go, another try to wipe her out just so there would be one less human coming after him. When she appeared again in this city, he found that he didn't kill her like he had assumed.

But she didn't come back with an army, or with big guns or big blades. She came back on her own, with only a bike and a gun that she didn't even carry outside its sheath. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't curious by the sight of the lone soldier wandering through the recent ruins. He followed her, shifting into his human form, his true form, and followed her, keeping to the shadows and observing as she herself took in the damage, trying to ignore the echoing growls in his head or the pleasant rush of stalking prey as he watched her look around the city.

He suspected that it was him that she was searching for.

Why was she looking for a monster, it was beyond him. This strange beauty drifting among a dank city, her pale hair turning into a dark strawberry, her cheeks turning pink from the cold, her pale icy eyes looking at the shadows fearlessly. She was a soldier, the uniform she then and now was a dead give away. He should kill her, not stalk her around this place, just to see why she was here and what she wanted. It didn't matter to him. It shouldn't matter. He should just go ahead and kill her. Right here, right now.

But no human ever came back, not so soon.

And it did look like she was searching for him...

He was as surprised as she was when his lips moved on his own and words came out, directed right at her. And where one came, more followed till they were having an actual conversation. His throat a little sore from lack of use, he couldn't even remember the last time that he talked to a person, especially to someone that knew who and what he was.

The talk was short and stiff, words that were exchanged were tense, bitter, and angry. And desperate. There was desperation on her side, desperation he couldn't figure till she revealed her reason for being here; where she made her offer.

_"I'll be your companion."_

Everything shut down after that. He tried to resist, tried to hear or find in decline, but she was insistent and clear. She wanted to be with him, for her own personal reason than his own, but she wanted it. A promise to stay with him, to share his long life. He wasn't even aware that he was that desperate till his body moved on his own, half his heart seeping out, overwhelming and becoming one with her own connecting them till the world itself ended. That was the only time and way that he would truly die, or so he believed. And now he wasn't going to wait alone.

A companion, someone in his life that wouldn't die, that would be with him till that end happened.

He wasn't aware that he wanted it that much, that he'd leap to the chance as quickly as he did.

He didn't even know how he did it, which he found to be a little embarrassing.

After so many years, he's still surprised with what the eidolon inside him could do, how it could take over and perform tasks that he could barely imagining doing. Like splitting his heart in half and passing it onto her. If she asked, he couldn't explain it, not without trying to talk to the eidolon. Even then, he could barely understand it most of the time. All he did understand about the creature was destruction, a desire to destroy. He became one with it while it was tasked with destroying, and that task is embedded in him along with the creature.

So it was surprising when it almost seemed like Leviathan himself was the one that chose the woman, that reached out and bound them together instead of Noctis himself. Whatever the case, Leviathan was the one that did the act, sealing and binding them both together.

He glanced up at the woman, her eyes distant as she nibbled on the fruit he gathered up, eating a strawberry slowly, an echo of unease coming off of her as she struggled to rein it in. He even wondered if she was feeling his own unease as well; something that probably wasn't helping either of them.

Was it the right choice to make? Did Leviathan want some other companion than him? Was his loneliness echoing off the eidolon?

Was she the right person to spend immortality with?

He wasn't sure. She had a temper, something that would likely spark more tension between them, and was stubborn, more likely to fight back instead of work with him. He saw it in her eyes, hard and cold, she'd fight with only her nails and teeth if she had. She wasn't one of those people that acted fierce, but was fierce. She wasn't going to take shit from anyone and just let it go.

Which will lead to problems.

"Aren't you going to eat?"

He started, looking up to see her glaring at him again. "I already ate," he lied simply. He lost taste for food a long time ago. She narrowed her eyes at him but brushed off, her eyes going distant again as she continued her muse, chewing a black berry now, the strawberry top and leaves tossed away like the apple core. "I hope you got enough then," she said, licking the juice off her fingers and lips. Noctis arced a brow, frowning, only to stiffen as she went on. "Its a good long ride back to Bodhum."

"Back to Bodhum?" he repeated.

She raised her own brow at him. "I'm going home," she said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I don't suggest that," he said quickly, frowning at her. Going back to her home was just going to lead to hurt, something they didn't need. No connections, no relations, and no bonds for them to cling to. He learned that himself the hard way. He was not going to have it repeated.

"A lot of people would not suggest becoming immortal, or a soldier," she pointed back, shakily standing up and working on her balance. Once steady, she slipped into a near home, coming back with a bag and slipping the rest of the fruit inside. "But I am, and I still have family back at home that needs me."

"You said you were going to be my companion," he growled, his eyes flaring red as hurt, anger, and betrayal stung at him.

"And I am," she said simply, ignoring the hurt and anger as she glanced at him, annoyance drifting off of her. "You don't want to come to Bodhum? That's fine. But I'm going back. I'll come back to you, or if you're lonely enough, you can come on down, but I'm heading back."

"Why did you offer when you're still needed?" he demanded.

"I offered so I could save my sister, and if you killed me, then all I could do was hope for the best and that the military would protect and hide her from you. But since I'm still alive and will be for a while, I'll stand by her for as long as I need too."

"You'll just end up hurting yourself."

"I know," she whispered, her voice hushed that he almost missed it, sadness brushing against him as she sighed. "But what's family without sorrow? There's no such thing as a happy family." Fruit gathered and secured, she stared right at him. "You can come with me, on your own, or wait. I don't care either way. I'm going to live with my sister in Bodhum, still be a soldier, and help rebuild what you destroyed. What you do is up to you."

* * *

Twenty six calls.

That's how much she missed after she told Serah that she was leaving and may not come back, with a sincere 'I love you'. Twenty six calls from an anxious, scared, furious, and worried sister.

And a forty six calls from friends, which shouldn't have surprised her, Serah would have passed it on and asked what was going on.

Six from Fang promising to smash her face in for making her worry.

Five from Cid, Rygdea, Amodar, Vanille, Sazh, and Snow demanding to know what was going on, where was she, and that Serah was scared.

Ten from Hope pleading for her to come home, scared beyond belief at the thought of loosing his second mom.

She thought about calling them all, reassuring them that she was coming home and apologizing for the scare; only she had no idea how to explain the situation to them. Saying 'I became Leviathan's companion and now immortal' wouldn't help at all. She wasn't even sure if it was a good idea to mention to anyone that she was with Leviathan. She certainly didn't mention to Serah that she went to see Leviathan, though her sister probably suspected it.

She frowned, realizing that there was no story or explanation as to why the man was with her. She needed one to explain why she left and came back with a stranger. But what?

While Lightning was trying to think up some possibilities, Leviathan was taking the chance to explore a hoverbike for the first time, declaring that he never had the chance to really explore the strange machines. Lightning let him since she didn't want him falling off on the trip back to Bodhum, a trip he agreed to join, with much reluctance.

She liked to think that maybe it would be good for him to be back in civilization.

Or it wouldn't be.

Lightning sighed as her head started to ache, rubbing her forehead then pinching her nose in slight agitation. Just what was she going to do with him and everyone that was back home waiting? Some might even be on their way looking for her. She had to have a story down before they did some across anyone. But what? What could she say that would explain why they were here in Oerba, and who this man was...

She perked at one particular thought, eyeing Leviathan and laying it out in her head before nodding to herself. It could work, and didn't need to much detail to it. "Leviathan," she called to him, "come here."

"Noctis," he replied glancing up at her suspiciously.

"What?"

"My name's Noctis, not Leviathan. That's just the eidolon I possessed."

Weird name. "Just come over here," she insisted. Suspicious and curious, Lightning pointed to one specific spot for him to stand at. Once he was placed, she flew at him before he could realize it, her fist pounded into his cheek hard, sending him flying off the bridge edge she had him standing near and into the water below.

"That felt good," she declared with a smile, rubbing her hand slightly and her cheek had a strange pressure on it but she shrugged it off, leaning over to look for him. He came out of the water as Leviathan, screeching and snarling, his red eyes glaring right down at her, furious. "Are you wet? As a human?" she asked him, wincing as big fat drops of water rained down on her, creeping down his uneven, scaled snout. When those red eyes narrowed, she elaborated. "If you're going to Bodhum with me, you have to show some wear. I'm going tell everyone that you're a lone survivor of Oerba, someone we missed. You have to look it though."

Levia... Noctis growled, flashing his pointed fangs down at her, anger seeping off of him and echoing right into her. "Do you have a different idea?" she shot back. Noctis went silent at that, his eyes narrowing as he glared down at her.

"I didn't think so, now get down here and lets rough you up."

* * *

The rest of what she had in mind for rough up was messing up his hair, wrinkle his clothes, smear mud on them, his face, and any other part of his skin that was bare to anyone's eyes; he had only one bruise, the one where she socked him. "I caught your distress call, left right away to find and save you. That's all anyone needs to know for a moment, anyone presses, just say your tired. Recovered victims like yourself are still struggling through shock so anything about your history or how you survived the attack can be overlooked till we have a better idea," she rambled on, adjusting and ruining his attire and appearance as she talked; occasionally smearing a big fat glob of mud on his clothes or in his hair or on his face.

Though her face was calm and collected, humor was rolling on inside her, nearly making Noctis growl. She was enjoying this, a little too much.

"Alright," she declared, stepping back and overlooking her work. "You look like someone that went through hell. Good."

"I've been through hell," he growled, only for her to wave him off. "Haven't we all?" she brushed off, stepping around him and back to the bike. "You have to hold onto me or the bike the whole trip there. Otherwise you'll fall off and I'm not back tracking to get you."

This was a mistake Noctis decided as his annoyance flared, not caring if she felt it. They were going to spend the rest of the centuries trying to kill each other off. Not what he had in mind when she offered to stay by his side forever. He had been thinking of a friend, someone that would try to understand, someone that would comfort him, reassure him, and help back on his feet. They'd hide away together in the mountains or by the sea, loosing their sense of time as they stayed away from the chaos that was humanity, watching the world and its changes go by. That's how it should be, just the two of them alone, no one else in the world should matter, ever.

Family should be given up, friends forgotten, and lovers abandoned.

They should be the only ones to care for one another.

Not be the coming rivals as the tension started to form, not go back to family, friends, and life with very, very mortal humans. It was going to be a hard and ruthless wake up call when their time comes, when her sister out grows her, gets her first grey hair, gets wrinkles, becomes weak and old, and finally dies. Then the reality should click, harsh, brutal, and true. She said she knew? She didn't know till it happened.

"Are you going to get on or not?" she demanded, glaring at him from over her shoulder, impatiently waiting for him. With his own scowl, he climbed on, unsure of himself as he settled, gripping the bike's back hard as she started the engine and off they flew to Bodhum the Seaside City.

To the future of her chosen sorrow and reality.

* * *

Noctis's first thoughts on Bodhum?

Big, open, and sunny. He had heard the murmur from humans about the desire and love for Bodhum, that it was a popular place for people to go too. He never thought about why, only that it must have been a tourist city. And it really was; the biggest attraction was the beach it was built on. With Leviathan inside him, he became quite attracted, happy, and excited at any body of water that he came across.

So when he saw Bodhum and the beach it was built on, he was nearly jumping in his seat, giddy at the sight of the large mass of water that was around it. Maybe Bodhum itself wouldn't be so bad, if he ever wanted to avoid the drama of family and friends, he knew where to run off and disappear too.

"Settle down back there," Lightning griped at him as he unintentionally jiggled the bike.

"I didn't think there was so much water here though," he said, not caring if she was annoyed or not, unable to tear his eyes away from the ocean. It was just so beautiful and begging to be swam in and filled and-

_"Noctis," _Lightning warned him, and he blinked when he realized that energy was pulsing off of him, his flesh turning into dark blue-grey scales with a few forming horns rising out of his arms and neck. "Sorry," he said, forcing Leviathan's presence to the back of his mind and reverting back into a human. It wouldn't be good for Bodhum to see Leviathan here, even if he only wanted to swim for hours in the water. It was evident that Bodhum suffered just as much fear from Leviathan as the rest of the world did. Where the lively tourist city should be full of noise, it was hushed and silent, people out of sight except for soldiers and military camps, all on a look out for him.

The thought had Noctis tighten his grip on the bike, grimacing.

People shouted as they saw them coming, rushing over with guns and medical supplies as Lightning neared the entrance, slowing the bike down to a hault. "Remember," she whispered as they drew near, "you're a survivor."

He was immortal, the worst sort of survivor that anyone could be.

But he did as Lightning bid, looking tired, wary, and nervous as the people drew close, looking past them in case Leviathan was following them then checking them over, probing them for wounds of any kind. A man in white with black hair and amber grey eyes came up to them immediately, grabbing Lightning and dragging her off, exhaustion drifting off of her as Noctis curiously watched them go, wondering if that was her lover. Lovers were one of the three hardest people to let go once immortal, and Noctis was relieved that he never had one to let go, friends and family were hard enough.

"Name?" one medic asked as Noctis was sat down, a clipboard in his hand.

"Noctis," he managed out, successfully sounding unsteady and tired.

"Can you remember your last name?" the doctor gently asked him. Noctis almost said Caelum, but stopped when he felt a flare of anger, almost hearing Lightning's snarl echo in his head. Ignoring her obvious anger, Noctis shook his head, looking and feeling sad. Would the name Caelum eve still ring a bell here? Was there enough time going by for his family and name to be forgotten? Probably best not to find out, for now.

"Sergeant Farron mentioned that she got a distress signal from Oerba, was that where you lived?"

"I... I don't know, I'm sorry I'm just-"

"Its ok, we understand, you had a rough experience," the doctor soothed, hands up to reach him, only to stop and sit in his lap, like human contact could make the situation worse. "We'll get you a place to sleep for the night, the hospital is full for now so we'll probably set you up in a bunker. Lets get ye cleaned and fed then," the doctor eased, reaching out his hand for Noctis to take, completely unaware that he was offering his hand to the very serpent this whole city feared.

Noctis found it to be a little and ironic. Getting help from the very people he was tormenting, being seen as one of them and treated like one of them. Leviathan squirmed in the back of his mind, finding it to be amusing as it nudged him. They could kill him now. This doctor, these people. They could all kill them now, wipe out Bodhum, claim the city for themselves and live the rest of his days in the water. It could all be theirs-

Noctis started, reaching up and taking the doctor's hand, letting him pull him up and escorting him to a bunker. He had been probed, hard by Lightning; a silent, furious warning and a reminder of their deal.

A Caelum wasn't known to break his deal, and eidolon didn't go back on their own.

Levaithan became mute by the angry woman's presence, leaving all dark thoughts and instincts gone form Noctis's mind, leaving him alone in his head, letting he doctor guide him to an open bunker, a small home that had a bed, toilet, shower, and clean clothes for him to use and change into. "Someone will drop by to check on you as well bring food," the doctor told him, "till then, clean, rest up. We'll get you as situated as we can."

"Lightning?" Noctis found himself asked, making the doctor pause as he started to turn away. "Sergeant Farron you mean?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"I suppose we can have her come and visit you, but only tomorrow when we know you're better."

Probably for the best then.

The doctor smiled reassuringly at him, nodding to the bunker. "Goodnight Noctis, welcome to Bodhum."

* * *

**heart of chaos is inspired by caius's heart specifically, but instead of it being a heart of etro, its the heart of an eidolon.  
**

**in a sense, noctis does already has a "companion", that being leviathan himself, but if anything, leviathan is more like a demon or a presence that's stuck inside him caged and locked away in the back of his mind. because of that, noctis's life is prolonged and has access to leviathan's power and form. they can't really communicate, noctis can get a sense of leviathan's nature and intentions. **

**Stories**

**Averia  
Promise  
**


	4. Averia: Set in Motion

**as a heads up warning, this first half is mostly information about the Twelve and the races, just skim or skip through the italics if you don't care about the Twelve's religion or history. **

**.**

**.**

**.**

**Averia: There's always been tension between the Miqo'te and the outside world, the mysterious beings that kept to themselves strictly, hardly ever seen or interacted with, even when sought after; so hard to find, it was too a point that they were considered a myth. But when a young child drifts into their mist, for the first time, they have to step out, revealing themselves to the world.**

**_Set in Motion  
_ **

* * *

_"Find the child! Find the child!"_

That seemed to be all that King Idola Eldercapt could talk about. Find the child. Find the child. Findthechildfindthechildfindthechild.

Noctis's ears were ringing from the never ending insistence. He got it. His father got it. Everyone got it. Find the child. They all got it.

There was just one problem, a problem their dear king couldn't offer a solution too.

How to find the child.

No where to look, no what to look for, any details about the age or if there was anything different.

All that was known was that the child was a mere baby girl that their dear king was asking all the nobles and knights to murder. And their only reason was that the girl was said to be the end of his reign. Idola often rambled about the details over and over again in the moments of his stress, the details of the dream the fal'Cie sent him, the warning that they foresaw for his reign. Idola murmured that she stood tall and proud, her hair some pale color, her eyes green, and before her two guardians that he could only describe as two ferocious, savage looking cats, one black and one white, with twelve beads hanging around their neck, merely hovering there, no string of any kind holding them together.

So from the details of that dream, they could presume to look for a pale haired, green eyed child with two cats.

The last detail was going to be a problem for them all. Two ferocious cats with twelve beads around their neck. There were no such things in the wild. There were no such things among the fal'Cie either.

Twelve.

Twelve.

Noctis repeated to himself curiously as he slid into the family library, eyes already looking for history. What was so familiar about twelve? Walking down a well memorized and familiar path to the history books, his mind flew as he tried to remember what was so important about the number twelve. Twelve and cats. Those were the only hints and way to specificity this girl, and he didn't want to be one of the many nobles just scrambling around and snatching up blonde babies from their mothers, declaring that they were the child. It was bad enough that they had one little girl to kill, there didn't need to be others to make a list with.

Noctis brushed such thoughts away as his eyes scanned the rising titles, looking for anything that would jerk out to do with twelve or cats. He paused when he saw one title. Sliding a ladder to it, he climbed up and pulled it out, sitting on one of the ladder steps as he rested it in his lap.

_Before the Fal'Cie._

Flipping to the contents, his eyes slid over the words till the caught sight of _The Twelve _staring as the very first chapter, with races following after it.

He knew he heard of twelve from somewhere. The Twelve, the gods before the fal'Cie, thought to be long dead by the scholars. By Idola's dream, maybe they weren't so dead after all. This had to be the twelve beads in his dream. Curious and eager, Noctis started the read.

_"The Twelve, as many knew them as, were deities that were around long before the fal'Cie, ruling over Eorzea and the people that thrived under their rule. It was said that they were the children of the world's creator, Hydaelyn, and was tasked of watching over the land and those that were loyal to the light. Despite this, their main power wasn't over light or having the same abilities as Hydaelyn had, each deity had a special trait and skill that they were known for, and control over an element that they shared with one other.  
_

_Halone, the Fury, the goddess of war and the mover of glaciers, her symbol was three spears and she had a power over ice. She was prayed to for war and to guide the victor through it to win or/and see another day. _

_Menphina, the Lover, she is the goddess of love and the mover of the moon, her symbol was a full moon and she also had a power over ice. She blessed the true couples that had found their fated pair with an everlasting happiness, to always be together in both life, death, and rebirth; some even said that she guided the lone souls to their soul mate. _

_Thaliak, the Scholar, the god of wisdom and knowledge, he ruled over the rivers and all water within the land, his symbol was a scroll. Thaliak was recorded to be one of the more reserved gods, never truly answering a pray and only reaching out to the people when he had too or felt it was necessary. Though considered distant, many still thanked him whenever they found a river to guide them home or a caught a fish in one of his rivers. _

_Nymeia, the Spinner, the goddess of fate and the overseer of all life, she controls water and her symbol is a spinning wheel. She is considered as both benevolent and malevolent since she guides a person to their fate, whether it is to their purpose, a better life, or death. _

_Llymlael, the Navigator, goddess of the wind and stars, with a power over wind, many lost sailors prayed to her for guidance home. Her symbol is a wave._

_Oschon, the Wanderer, the god of mountains and travel, his power is over wind and his symbol is a walking stick. Oschon was prayed to for safe travel. _

_Byregot, the Builder, the god of art and architecture, he has control over lightning and his symbol is a hand. Byregot was said to have improved people's knowledge of buildings and opening the possibilities of them, as well as improve their own homes and expanding their culture to many different arts. _

_Rhalgr, the Destroyer, the god of destruction and the breaker of nations, Rhalgr has power over lightning and his symbol was a meteor. Rhalgr was said to be the god of assassins, warlords, and tyrants; blessing their reign till he himself guided them to their own demise. He is considered one of the few malevolent gods of the Twelve. _

_Azeyma, the Warden, goddess of inquiry and the mover of the sun, she controls fire and her symbol is a sun. She was a being of justice and was the patron of order, often prayed and worshiped by knights and other groups that sought to keep the realm's peace. _

_Nald'thal, the Trader, god of commerce and the overseer of the underworld, controller of fire and symbolized as cowry, Nald'thal was a hopeful blessing and a dreaded demon to all traders, having control over their luck and choosing their success. Some records declare that he worked with and against Nymeia, twisting people's luck to their death or prolonging their time. _

_Nophica, the Matron, is the goddess of abundance and soil, she controls earth and is symbolized as a leaf. She is the patron of farmers and granting a good harvest. _

_Althyk, the Keepr, god of time and wielder of change, Althyk commands the earth and his symbol is an hourglass. Althyk changed the world, no matter who was there, Althyk tore the earth apart, making it grow and crumble, bringing changes to all, for better or worse, Althyk did not care; as a god of time, it was often recorded that he was just as cold as time itself.  
_

_These beings made up the Twelve, and were worshiped in Eorzea for many, many years, some more worshiped and favored than others be certain races..._

That had to be it, the twelve beads, they were the Twelve. Noctis smiled as he leaned back, grimacing as he stretched sore and stiff muscles. So that's what bothered the fal'Cie so much, that they would send their king such dreams, the three were worried about about the Twelve and this child that they were supporting. To regain control over Eorzea perhaps? He knew that they lost it to the fal'Cie a long time ago. He didn't need to read anymore to know that, such a lesson was ingrained into his brain as a child.

Galenth Dysley.

He was the one that started the religious resolution, breaking most in Eorzea away from the Twelve, as well as make it a primary kingdom to humans. He came and started preaching to the cities about another kind of deity known as the fal'Cie, and there were three that he spoke of the most: Pulse, Etro, and Lindzei. Each and everyone of them promised a sense of power to those that followed them, a power that naturally intrigued humans, leading them to break away from the Twelve's control, and chasing off the other races that were still loyal to the Twelve, especially since the fal'Cie only accepted humans into their cult, other races were looked down upon.

What were the other races? Maybe that had something to do with the two cats that had the beads around their neck. But what sort of being could be related to cats? The other races, though known about, were long forgotten after Dysley had them chased out of Eorzea. From what he remembered from his teachers, they said that the other races were presumed to go back home to their own countries or died out when they lost the Twelve and the humans shoved them out of Eorzea.

So what were the races? His teachers all brushed them off and wouldn't go into detail about them, making Noctis wonder if they themselves even knew. It wasn't a common knowledge that was taught or even encouraged. The fal'Cie preached that the other races weren't worth looking into, and after many years of insistence, the other races were forgotten and not looked into.

Thankfully, books like this one hadn't been tossed away, yet.

Just the thought that this book and all others in their library could be taken away made Noctis tighten his grip on the book, quickly flipping to the next chapter, ready to learn and discover the races that worshiped the Twelve.

_The races that worshiped the Twelve were just as important to both sides. Were the races got guidance, knowledge, and protection; the Twelve got power and life from the loyalty, prays, and light each individual gave off, securing that they would live for as long as their people did. And with five different races praising them, it was expected that they would live for a long time._

_The races that worshiped the Twelve were: Elezen, Mi'qote, Roegadyn, Lalafell, and our own ancestors, the Hyur. All were people that came from different cultures and land, and all traveled up and landed in Eorzea, and were found by the Twelve. And through the Twelve, they all found and opened up a civilization with one another, taking advantage and using each unique skill each race had to offer Eorzea.  
_

Noctis stared hard at the pictures of each race, looking for details that jumped out of him. The Hyur didn't look any different compared to what they were now, just with strange clothing and broader, muscular bodies. The Elezen were tall and slim with long ears, the Roegayns large and buff, and the Lalafell looked... adorable and small...

All these strange people lived and thrived together? It was strange imagining seeing child like being wandering around the streets, or towering, long eared men staring down at them like they were equals. By the sounds of it, the most common to see in Eorzea were Lalafell, Elezen, and Hyur, with Roegadyns sticking to the seas and Mi'qote to the forest-

Mi'qote.

What were Mi'qote?

They were mentioned earlier but nothing more so far...

Lalafell clever and good with magic...

Elezen skilled archers...

Where are the Mi'qote?

Noctis frowned, flipping through the chapter about races, trying to find something, anything on the Mi'qotes, but there didn't seem to be anything on them. Elezen, Hyur, Lalafell, Hyur-

He paused for a moment and flipped a page back, confirming what he saw. Not Hyur, but _Mi'qote_. This was a Mi'qote.

They looked like Hyur, their bodies leaner but there were obvious muscles there, and they looked physically a little smaller than the Hyur, but otherwise could be mistaken as the same race. Only it was the cat like ears and the long, furred tails they had that put the biggest difference between them and Hyurs.

_Its hard to say which was the first race to come and be found by the Twelve, the argument has settled between Elezen and the Mi'qote as one of the first races to ever settle in Eorzea. The Elezen are quite sure that they were the first one to arrive in Eorzea, but some scholars did believe that the Mi'qote were around first, or arrived at the same time and simply stuck to the forest, shying away from contact with other races. Out of all five races, the Mi'qote are the most mysterious and distant, only doing trades with only a small handful actually leaving the woodlands to live in society. Those that leave to live among others didn't offer much information about their culture either, making them a very private sort.  
_

_What is known about the Mi'qote is that they are highly skilled hunters and are experts on the land, for any scholar or traveler that wanted a guide that would secure a fast and safe travel cross country, it was the Mi'qote that they sought after and would hopefully find. When Mi'qote didn't want to be found by others, they weren't found unless they wanted to be. _

_Because of the distance they had with other races and any other culture outside their own, Mi'qote were considered to be the most religious of the races, and the closest to the Twelve._

Noctis closed the book, the answer found. Two Mi'qote with the girl. That's what they should be looking for.

* * *

Averia cooed and giggled eagerly at the sight of the chocobos, reaching out and trying to snag any feathers of the birds that were too close. Lightning warily kept away from them, at least a foot, not desiring a chocobo kick in the side in case the toddler did pull a few feathers out, even peaceful birds like these wouldn't appreciate it. "You going to be more trouble than you're worth?" Lightning asked her, glancing back and meeting the toddler's curious eyes. Averia blinked at Lightning's voice before she smiled and laughed.

Shaking her head at the child's ever lasting glee, Lightning strode on, ignoring the eyeing and curious chocobos as they walked through their flock. She was a good day away from the her forest home, and true to Caius's intent, no other Mi'qote has followed after her. The Keeper was very serious about having only one Mi'qote leave.

_Keep the road clear Oschon, _Lightning thought to the traveling god, her ears up, catching every sound the wind carried, her tail trailing behind her, enjoying the last of its freedom before she had to find a way to hide it. Another day and she'd be out of the Mi'qote's territory and into the humans, and to find the ones that would take in the child.

"Find the star and look out for the night sky," Lightning murmured to herself, tilting her head curiously as she tried to think of what those could mean. "You have any idea?" she asked the baby nestled in the carrier. Averia cooed and Lightning sighed. "Didn't think so."

What human to give the girl too? She had no way of knowing what human would be good to take care of a child, she didn't even know how humans took care of children. For Mi'qote, both parents took care of the cub and acted as the guardian for their family, though much like the Keepers, the male role was more aline with guarding but both filled the role quite well. It helped that both parents were instinctively more viscous with possible threats around their cub.

Were humans the same? Did both parents spend time with their children? Or was one parent more the caretaker and the other the guard and worker?

She'll just have to settle for observing. She could spare a few days learning how humans raise children.

Averia groaned loudly in frustration, Lightning glancing back to see that she was reaching for a near chocobo that was watching them pass. The alpha hen by the looks of it. "Sorry Avi," Lighnting said, smiling at the nickname she gave the girl, "but you're too young for a chocobo ride." And it would draw attention to themselves if they rode a chocobo. And the alpha pair probably wouldn't appriciate them taking away one of her flockmates for a while. It wasn't so much as taking a bird that would be a problem, its more taking them for a long time. The wild chocobos in this area were used to seeing and being used by Mi'qote. If there was a big hunt or move, chocobos were rounded up to help for their speed and strength, and were always released once done.

Mi'qote had no use for tamed chocobos when wild ones lived near their home and were willing to work with them anyway.

Nodding to the alpha hen, Lightning sped out of the group, bouncing the carrier and breaking Averia's groans with giggles as she jumped up and climbed high into a tree, pausing when she caught sight of the human lands just lying outside the chocobos' pasture. The land had fewer trees, much to few, and she could see all the settlements scattered along the land to the big, big city that loomed in the distance. That's where the capitol was, where only the ruling human had power to send behemoths after a baby.

Lightning growled slightly, digging her nails into the wood as her tail twitched anxiously, her pale eyes sliding down and seeing the said monster prowling down, sniffing the earth as it sought the very child she was carrying. Averia squirmed in her carrier, trying to get a look around besides the branches in front of her, Lightning quietly shushed her, leaning her tail back to occupy the girl.

"We'll have to keep to the trees," she decided. Behemoths couldn't climb, but they could uproot a tree if they wanted too. Thankfully, it took them a while to force a tree off its roots, something she could take advantage of. While the behemoth was still banging his head away, she'd already be jumping along the fourth tree, scampering away from him.

"Ready to find a family?" she asked the toddler. Averia leaned back, looking up at her with big curious green eyes, her lips forming an "o" as she stared up at Lightning.

She took that as a yes. Smiling down at the girl, she turned back to watching the behemoth sniffing around before climbing along the branches and hopping into the next tree, gliding along the branches with ease and climbing onto the next tree within her grasp. By their fifth tree, they were passing over and away from the oblivious behemoth. Lightning glanced down at it with a smirk, rising up to stand on her two legs, the care of crawling on four no longer needed.

For as long as they can, they'll just stick to the trees. Nobody here seemed to think to look up yet, and Lightning liked that.

* * *

Noctis slid into the council room, grimacing at the sight of all the old nobles sitting around the king, grumbling and shouting out their plans and thoughts, ridiculing and encouraging the king with his hunt.

"Your Highness, I understand the fear but what we're doing is treason."

"Typical thing for a Fleuret to say, you just can't handle blood can you?"

"We are talking about murdering a child, not even a year."

"A future usurper Amodar, must I remind you of that? We'll save millions of bloodshed this way."

"And what we're doing now isn't?"

"Prince Caelum," King Idola interrupted, his silver green eyes locked on Noctis as he stood patiently, observing their argument. All eyes followed after the king's voice, peering at the young man, their gaze flickering down to the book he held. "My lords," he bowed.

"Noctis," his father returned, clasping his hands and resting his head there. "What do you bring us?"

"A way to shorten he infant's hunt."

They all perked at that. "You know where she is?" Idola demanded.

"No sir, but I do know what to look for," Noctis said, coming up to the table and sliding the book to the king, open to the only two pages of information they had on Mi'qote. All nobles leaned forward, trying to catch a glance at the pages, arcing curious brows at the sight of it.

"Cat people?" Lady Nabaat wondered skeptically.

"They're known as Mi'qote," Noctis said eagerly, proud of his find. "There are two Mi'qote with a human baby, we find them, we find our girl."

"What your asking us to find is nothing more than a myth," Lord Fleuret said, frowning.

"I don't think they are."

"Mi'qotes were one of the old races, weren't they?" King Idola asked.

"Yes Mi'lord."

"And they are dead Your Highness."

"Or are far, far from Eorzea."

"I don't think all of them are gone," Noctis declared.

"And what makes you so sure Prince Caelum?" Lord Rosch pressed.

"The Mi'qote are expert hiders, we do live in most of Eorzea but we haven't covered all the grounds of it-"

"They serve the Twelve," Idola murmured aloud, halting any further disputes as they all turned back to the king.

"Pardon My Lord?"

"They serve the Twelve," Idola repeated loudly.

"They were said to be arguably the most loyal," Noctis confirmed quietly.

"Send generals, knights, squires, a boon, I don't care what, find these Mi'qote. Burn down the woodlands if you have too, I want these Mi'qote found."

"My Lord!" Lord Caelum exclaimed, "You want to set fire to the land?! Haven't Eorzea been scarred enough?"

"Send any babies that are still alive back home with money as an apology, and have those that live near forests leave," Idola went on, deaf to anyone else. "These Mi'qote have the child, they have the usurper. I want her dead, I want all of them dead. The Twelve aren't going to reclaim their kingdom. Not while I still have the fal'Cie support."

* * *

A shy, quiet knock at the door roused Serah from her stressed, light sleep. Her pale white ears twitch at the sound, her eyes slid open, peering into her darkened den, sniffing the air instinctively, trying to catch who was on the other side, but couldn't catch anything past the smell of her own home. Her mate slumbered on, rumblings purrs hummed from his throat as he slept heavily on the pillow, worn out from the hunt Caius forced all hunters to go on just to be sure that none would follow Lightning. Exhausted, Noel fell asleep quickly when he got home, keeping one strong arm loosely wrapped around her torso to keep her close. Their bare skin pressing against one another, soft, warm, and safe, Serah almost fell back asleep, ready to nuzzle up against her mate and dream of a short week where Lightning would return, the baby safe and happy, and their life would go on peacefully as always.

But when another soft rattle of knocks insisted, and starting to rouse Noel, she wormed her way out of his hold, grabbing one of his larger shirts and slipping it over her form for decency as she went to the door, her tail dragging on the floor with her tiredness. Opening the door, she woke then and there when she saw Yuel staring up at her with the saddest face she's ever seen on the Keeper, her eyes big and watering, her ears flat on her head. Stepping out and closing the door behind her, she asked quietly, "Yuel?"

"I'm sorry Serah," she said with a quiver, "I'm so sorry."

"What's wrong?" Serah pressed, lightly resting her hands on Yuel's shoulders, trying to ease the Seeker to tell her. "Is it Lightning? Did something happen?"

Yuel shook her head, murmuring, "Not yet."

"Then what is it?"

"Its time Serah."

Serah blinked in confusion. Its time? Time. Time for what... She stiffened, her grip tightening on Yuel's shoulders. "No," she whispered. "It can't be now, Sis isn't back yet!"

"Nymeia wants us to move, get out of Eorzea. She showed me fire, and... and I could hear Rhalgr's laugh echo in my head and I saw Nald'thal's door beyond the flames. We have to leave Serah."

"But how... Are we ever-"

"She'll be here when we come back," Yuel said, "but for now... we'll have to leave... I'm-" Yuel paused, breathing in as she tried hard not to outwardly cry. "I'm scared of the thought, of leave Serah. I don't want to leave Eorzea, I don't want to leave Lightning behind..."

Serah closed her eyes, gripping Noel's shirt tightly, breathing in his scent as she tried to calm herself down. "When do we leave?"

"We'll be going tomorrow night, or the dawn after."

Serah nodded as she drooped.

"I'm-"

"It's ok Yuel, she'll understand. And she'll be here when we come back, she'll be here when we get back," Serah repeated to herself over and over again. Even after yuel left to return to her own mate, and Serah slipped back into her own bed, forehead pressed against Noel's back, she still repeated it to herself, trying to find some reassurance with it.

She'll be here when they come back.

She prayed to Nymiea that she would be, that the last of her family will be here, alive and well.

* * *

**.**

**.**

**.**

**this is the first time Idola has ever appeared in any of my fics, woo! :D possibly the main villain in 15 has finally appeared!**

** i had thought about using pulse again as the setting for the world, but since pulse came later by the mythical history i set up, i decided to try the set world of 14 instead, eorzea. the twelve's description here are changed a little to match Averia's story setting, but the basics of them are there.  
**

**Story List**

**Averia  
Promise  
**


	5. DI: Reunion

**well this chapter is short compared to the last two, its about 2,000 words at least, and the others are over 4,000 which i typically set as the the least amount of words, but for this, anything that came after didn't feel right, or felt like it shouldn't. so don't expect chapters this short too often, but will likely appear occasionally. **

**.**

**.**

**.**

**Daddy Issues: Lightning recently meets her father, a man that left them when she was three and when her mother was still pregnant with Serah. The said man is back, looking to make amends; pity the Farrons aren't too sure if they want too.**

**_Reunion  
_ **

* * *

Lightning sat with a huff in agitation, rapping her fingers on the table impatiently, glaring out at each pedestrian that went by, barely noticing that she was making them speed up as a stationed soldier stared after them with a pissed expression, afraid that she might pull them aside from out of no where. If she was aware or cared, she might have just to do something, to move or just to get some of her frustration out as it started to boil under the lid she was struggling to keep on it.

She could hardly believe that she was sitting here, waiting for him.

_Him._

Lightning growled at the thought.

After eighteen years, eighteen _fucking_ years, he finally contacts her, reveals that yes, he is very much alive, yes he had a secure job and life, and that yes, he was aware that he had left his _wife _and _daughters _alone.

.

.

.

_"This is Sergeant Lightning Farron of Bodhum Security Regiment, how can I help you?"_

_"..."_

_"Hey, can I help you? ...Hello?"_

_"...Claire?"_

_"...!"_

.

.

.

Why was she here?

Lightning sighed, running a had up and through her bangs, making them even messier as she rests her hand there, slightly clinging to the strands as she struggled to keep a reign on her frustration and unease. She turned her glare to the cafe's window, watching the happy, laughing customers inside with their meal and drinks, oblivious to her growing gloom and annoyance. The most notable to her were girls with their fathers, enjoying a lunch together that their father bought for them.

She wished she could be like the other customers here, happy, excited, and optimistic about the whole thing but over all...

.

.

.

_"I got a surprise for you."_

_"What?"_

_"Ta-dah!"_

_"...A chocobo dad?"_

_"What? What's wrong with chocobos?"_

_"Aren't I a little... old for a stuffed toy?"_

_"You? Probably."_

_"Then why?"_

_"I remembered you always liked the white ones."_

.

.

.

Was she mad?

Was she curious?

Was she scared?

She was definitely furious. She's never been so mad right now, she had to move all the silverware to a far table just to make sure she didn't use it to stab his eye out, or his hand; and she made sure her drink was in a plastic cup as well. She'd be too tempted to use it if it was glass to bash his face in.

Why?

Why was she here?

.

.

.

_"Claire...?"_

_"How did you get this number."_

_"So it really is you-"_

_"How did you get this number."_

_"...I dug around, heard about a pink haired soldier and wondered-"_

_"What do you want."_

_"I, I would like us to meet."_

.

.

.

She closed her eyes and sighed. It shouldn't matter, she shouldn't even be here.

What did she hope that she was going to accomplish here?

Nothing.

That's what was going to come out of this. Nothing at all.

And to think she cancelled on Noctis today for this waste of time.

.

.

.

_"Can I have the sword?"_

_"Rapier? A little big for you, but I think you could inherit him when you're older."_

_"Maybe, I like the red."_

_"Maybe?"_

_"I also like guns. Their as loud as fireworks."_

_"Guns and swords, that's a combo you don't hear everyday."_

_"I bet I'll make it work."_

_"I'm sure you will my dove."_

.

.

.

"Claire?"

Her pale blue eyes slid up, flickering up to see a man in his early forties standing before her, casting a dark shadow over her from where she sat, his eyes a sharp and glaring cobalt that were vivid against his auburn red hair that was combed in a hurried mess and muddled in a loose ponytail that hung past his shoulders. He wore a black shirt, with dark jeans, and a crimson coat with black shoulder pads. At his belt was an equally red sword with a black hilt. Her eyes narrowed at him as he peered down at her, a little wide eyed, wary, curious, and sure.

Her hands curled into fists as she tensed at the sight of him, an urge to flee or charge filling her, with her only restraint were her hands that were squeezing each other hard.

Despite his question and imploring look, she couldn't bring herself to respond, not to him.

Besides, she didn't answer to that name anymore.

.

.

.

_"Hey daddy?"_

_"Yes?"_

_"You love the sky, right?"_

_"I do, I love the sky."_

_"Amodo told me that you knew how to fly up there."  
_

_"You shouldn't believe everything Amodar tells you honey."_

_"Amodo never lies."_

_"I suppose, but no human can really fly. You can only... get comfortable in the air."_

_"Will you teach me?"_

_"You won't get scared?"_

_"Never."_

.

.

.

"You... you really are Claire, aren't you?" he asked again when she didn't respond, his voice deeper than the scrap of what she could remember.

She rose up, meeting him with cold, stern eyes that had no interest or patience for him. "Its Lightning now Mr Rhapsodos."

He blinked in surprise before he shook his head, reaching out to her, only for her to step back and resume her seat, crossing her arms rebelliously as she glared up at him. Reluctantly, he sat down himself, frowning at her. "You don't have to be so formal," he said.

"Fine, hello father, its been too long," she sneered.

His lips dipped down at that into a tight frown, but his eyes stayed locked on her with a sternness that was promising trouble before he reluctantly turned his gaze away, avoiding the fight and accepting that her anger was rightfully placed. She didn't relent or feel pity for the fellow warrior, it was all his fault anyway.

"What do you want?" she demanded.

"Is it so wrong for a father to want to meet his daughter?" he asked.

"After leaving like that? Yes."

He sighed, "Claire-"

"Its Lightning. You should have known that when you looked me up."

"Lightning," he repeated, turning his gaze back to her, taking in the details, comparing them in his head. She was the spitting image of Averia. Same face, same hair, though hers had more red in it giving it a light pink shade, same light blue eyes... the only thing that looked remotely his was her nose. The cute little nose that he used to brush his fingers over just to hear a giggle or two.

.

.

.

_"She's going to take after you."_

_"Me? Heh, I truly do believe she's going to be just like you Ave, through and through."_

_"You haven't noticed? She's so quiet and demanding, like you."_

_"...I'm not that demanding."_

_"She also has your eyes. I think she'll get your famous glare."_

_"Don't you mean your infamous one?"_

.

.

.

He guessed she did get his eyes in a sense. It was strange seeing that he was getting his own glare sent right back at him, furious and cold, like the gaze of a infuriated behemoth. Perhaps he was sitting across from one. He smiled, chuckling a little. His daughter the behemoth.

"What's so funny," she growled, her eyes narrowing, making the light blue pools gleam all the brighter in the slant.

"You always liked storms," he said instead, keeping his thoughts to himself. "I remember we always had to get up and tear you away from the window to get you back to bed because you were so happy and excited seeing a thunderstorm."

"What of it?"

"Is that why you renamed yourself Lightning? You liked the flash in the storms?"

"My reasons are my own, father. Reasons you have no right too."

"At least humor me. Aren't things like this a happy occasion?" He was happy and relieved, even with the tension and irritation that she brought, he was happy to see her well and grown.

"What makes you think this was going to be a happy reunion?"

She had a point there. The fact made him smile still, possibly purposely feeding the tension even more. He could help it, she was so strong and blunt, it was almost like he was talking to his forward little girl again.

Only she wasn't so little anymore.

She was older, twenty one, had a secure job, and wasn't happy to see him.

.

.

.

_"I want that."_

_"That?"_

_"Yes, that."_

_"I got a raise from work, able to buy you everything in this square, and you want a lightning pendant?"_

_"Yes."_

_"You don't want a book, a toy, or anything else?"_

_"I want to carry my own lightning bolt."_

.

.

.

"No, I didn't expect it to be a happy reunion," he admitted. "I would have been a fool to think or even hope so."

"Then why?"

"Eighteen years is a long time, and no father wants to be separated for that long."

"Then you should have come sooner," she spat.

"I would if I could have, Claire, but no one defies the Sanctum, you know tha-"

"Its Lightning," she cut off, "and I don't serve the Sanctum, I serve the people. Only if they have a gun at my head do I listen to them."

"Either way I was prevented from coming back sooner-"

"Then you might as well have stayed."

"Not even if they pointed a gun at my head."

"How about I point mine?"

He sighed, closing his eyes and smearing his hand over him face, setting it to his nose which he pinched hard in slight agitation. "Can I at least see Serah?"

"No. You can never see her. You wouldn't meet her then, you won't meet her now."

"It wasn't my choice-"

"You could have become a GC! You could have stayed that way!"

"You know that I couldn't do that, not when our line-"

"You think I give a damn about that?! I could careless."

"Claire. Our family has-"

"Wasn't there when we needed them the most. They didn't care. Not then, and certainly not now. Family is all that I have left, and what I care for, don't you go lecturing me about how important it is, not when you yourself didn't live up to the expectation!"

He didn't reply to that. Didn't argue or deny.

She stood up, hands on the table as she leaned forward with an angry growl as she warned him. "Its good to see you again _dad_, but I want this to be the last. Don't come near me or Serah, we never want to see you again."

.

.

.

_"Will you always be my little angel?"_

_"I'm not an angel dad, don't be silly. Angels don't bite people when they're angry, that's what Rygdea told me."_

_"He's just saying that because he's mad that you did bite him."_

_"He took my toy."_

_"Ok, so will you always be my little girl?"_

_"I'll always be your girl. I can't be little forever, at least, I hope not."_

_"I'm sure you'll grow, you'll be as pretty as your mother."_

_"I guess... but I'm not wearing dresses."_

_"Watch out for your mother then... hey Claire?"_

_"Yes daddy?"_

_"I love you."_

_"I do too."_

.

.

.

* * *

**.**

**.**

**.**

**always wanted more detail on lightning's dad besides that he died in an accident when she and serah were young, it was mentioned that he was very similar to snow personality wise, which could lead to why lightning didn't like snow. i don't think i've ever seen an AU story about lightning and her dad, might as well give it a try for this.  
**

**i'm fairly open over all for possible dads for lightning since i can see her mom with white, red, or pink hair; but if i had to narrow it down, sephiroth, warrior of light, rufus shinra, cloud, and recently, thought of genesis since he's one of the few guys with red hair in FF, and you hardly see him in any fics so i'm giving him a go in DI. **

**Story List**

**Averia  
Promise  
Daddy Issues  
**


	6. TCF: The Offer

**so far, i haven't really got any strong, strong lightis chapters. i think its about time i got one in XD as a heads up, there is sex in this chapter. its about time i wrote a lemon for lightis. **

**.**

**.**

**.**

**The Caelum Family: Never before has Lucis seen a family so frightening, and so close.  
**

**_The Offer  
_**

* * *

"Lord Esthiem," Noctis greeted from his desk, his tired eyes peering at an equally tired man, though older and wiser than him, roughly his own father's age now that he thought about it. Well shaved and dignified; the Lord of Accordo stood tall and proud in his black suit with a neat and ironed white shirt beneath it. Bowing slightly to Noctis; his graying brown hair falling forward with his sweep before he rose back up, his glasses glinting in the light, casting an intimidating glare off the lens that would startle anyone that was looking up at him.

Noctis wasn't so easily frightened though. Straightening up himself, he clasped his hands together, resting his chin there as he nodded to one of two chairs that was before his desk, the cushions a pale ivory by his queen's request, the wood painted black for his preference. Lord Esthiem sat himself down gracefully, nodding thankfully as he bid back his own greeting.

"King Caelum," he returned, "I thank you for admitting my counsel."

"No Lord should when requested, especially from another kingdom that we have a steady alliance with. I trust Accordo is thriving beautifully. My wife would be very concerned if something was the matter. She adores Accordo very much."

Lord Esthiem smiled. "Its good to hear that the Queen has a fondness for the nation, we do take great pride in our water ways and natural beauty."

The Lucis King chuckled, "I think its more of the water that she likes. She grew up on the water, I'm sure Accordo brings her some nostalgia."

"She's always welcomed."

"As are any Accorden Lords, but I must say, this visit is a little... unexpected. To my knowledge, there haven't been any form of celebrations that we've missed or require our attention. And Accordo hasn't called for any attention from any kingdom. Is there something a matter my Lord Esthiem? Or is there a specific interest that Lucis could offer you?"

"I was wondering how much patience you would have," Lord Esthiem mused.

"I beg you're pardon?"

"You and your Queen are still quite young, you are in your thirties now if I am correct?"

"And you in your fifties. What of it?"

"A certain wisdom comes with age and rule. We're all quite surprised how well the Caelums have been fairing over Lucis."

"Flattery."

"It is, and truth. You're very wise despite being so young."

"My wife and I have lived and seen much in our youth, my Lord. We'd be fools not to learn and remember."

"Indeed. But no patience. There are pleasantries in talking."

"Manipulations more like it. I get this enough from my council, I rather not get more from a respectable guest that has yet to tell me why he's visiting."

"Very well. As you are aware, Accordo's ruling differs from Lucis, Niflheim, and so on."

"A respected Lord's family is chosen to be the ruling Royalty of Accordo when the current one retires, death or otherwise, and their current family has to step aside to let the new one rule. Its nearing that time again?"

"It is, and the unfortunate fact is that only heirs are allowed to take up that position. As the current head of my family, I wouldn't be able too. The right would pass to my son. Along with many other sons aiming for the throne."

"And...?"

"I would like to secure the position for my son. Its been five generations since Esthiems ruled Accordo. Its time for us to have our turn."

Noctis narrowed his eyes. "And how will Lucis help with this?"

"Each Lord has to offer Accordo something appealing that would make the people favor one family over the other. All I have to offer is my brilliant boy, but I could offer a lot more with him."

"I decline."

"Its at that time King Caelum. Letters and calls will come rolling in, boys and men swarming at your doors. Its better for them to be closer in age. You know that my son is the same-"

"I said that I refuse Lord Esthiem."

"I can offer you a deal instead."

"I don't want to hear it."

"I'll provide Lucis with Accordo clean water and better books for schools, in return, have him as a ward."

"They won't fall in love."

"I don't need love, it would be fortunate, but not needed. All I need is a better relation."

* * *

She had just stepped into the room when lips captured her, strong hands pulling her body close and securing her there, a familiar growl rumbling from his throat was quick to bring her in rapture, her arms wrapping around his strong neck as her lips pushed back against his, her teeth nibbling back at him. Slowly they wandered back to the bed waiting in the room, their clumsy feet well practiced here, knowing each step like a blind dance they waltzed all their life.

"Its been too long," he rasped between smacks, his hands sliding and down her back, feeling each arc and curve, pushing her body closer. She hummed back, tilting her head up and letting him trace her neck with his lips, teeth, and tongue. "Its barely been a week," she pointed out, sucking in a sharp breathe as he bit as the juncture of her neck and shoulder, retracing the eternal scar there, his physical mark. Her hands slid into his hair, gripping the strands tight and lightly tugging at the scalp, making him groan. His hands slid up front, unbuttoning the white shirt she wore, eager to move those clothes aside.

Her own hands slid back down, running along his shoulders before going back up and pulling him close, giving her easy access to his lips and ears. Leaning close she whispered to him, "Do you really want a third that badly?"

"Dad did say the more the merrier," he offered, suckling at her neck.

She scoffed, taking the chance to unbutton his as he drew to get her bra, leaving her open to remove his own. "Do I finally get a chance to name them?"

"We named one storm," he teased, rolling his shoulders as the shirt fell away.

"_You _named him storm."

"And its a strong name," he said, turning them around and letting them drop to the bed, smirking as he loomed over her like a predator, his eyes flaring red with the passion. She rolled her eyes despite the situation, a smile growing on her lips as her hands snaked up and over his chest, making his arms quiver as she applied the right amount of pressure. "I don't think I'll ever understand Lucis' need of meaningful names. That's just a lot to keep up with," she mused, rising up to attack his neck, her lips and tongue rolling against the skin pleasantly.

"Adds to the fun of it," he managed out, "names identify a person after all. With a meaning helps defines them... completely."

She huffed at his skin. "Still a lot of trouble," and she bit over her own mark, enticing a deep moan from him as he nearly slumped against her, his eyes glowing in the shadows of their room. Pushing her away, he reclaimed her lips, forcing them both back down as his hands went up and down her bare body, kneading at her breasts while her own went up and pressed over his, her legs going up and lightly wrapping around his waist, making them bump against one another in a fit of hissing pleasure.

"Light," he moaned, shivering anxiously at the contact.

Growling, she pushed up form the bed and rolled them over so that she was on top, smirking down at him as her light blue eyes met his. "You topped last time," she declared.

"We'll see about that-" he had started to reach up and roll her back under him, only to still as she pressed back, both sucking in a sharp breathe as both heated parts rubbed against one another. "We shall see," she teased, lowering a little to press him in before rising up to tease him. He growled and thrash under her, hips jerking up to get back in. "Light," he warned.

She hummed back, biting her lips as she tried to concentrate, her own hips twitching in anticipation to press down, pulsing with her heartbeat. When she couldn't contain it anymore, she slid down, breathing in relief as his heat spread her open, her husband below her torn between growling and moaning as he was finally embedded. A few seconds they sat, soaking in the connection before they were off, his hips jerking up into her as hers slid down to meet his, sounds of grunts, moans, growls, and many others fill the air they moved, their hands tightly clinging to the sheets.

When he finally couldn't take it anymore, he rose up, catching her by surprise as he took her lips and rolled them over so that he was above, moving harder and deeper, theirs lips catching traces of each other before he moved down to suckle at one nipple, her body lifting to his mouth and his pounds. "Noooaaahc..." she moaned, her hands tighten their grip on the sheets, her hips jerking up a little faster as her body twitched, feeling the ecstasy rise close to breaking point.

He growled and groaned, pushing faster, harder, and deeper as he felt his own peak near, twitching and thrashing inside her till he burst, both of them moaning loud and long as liquid gushed between. They slumped into the bed, his head lightly resting above the valley of her breast, breathing in her sweat and scent as his hips slowly humped, securing that his seed god deep into her. "You owe me two tops," she said after a while, her hands coming up and rolling through his soft black black. "You were going to slow," he grumbled, smiling against her soft skin.

"I'll tease you longer for that."

He merely hummed, rolling them to the side so he wasn't lying on top of her, hugging her close as they enjoyed the afterglow, listening to the pound of their hearts and their winded breathes as they fell down from their high.

"Long day?" she asked, tracing the muscles of his shoulders soothingly.

"Very," he confirmed, burying his nose into her hair and enjoying the feel of it against his cheeks. "I'll tell you tomorrow."

* * *

"Sounds reasonable enough," she mused, eyes trailing over the paper, a steaming mug sitting patiently next to her.

"Reasonable?!"

"He may have implied it, but its clear that he'd be fine without an engagment. All he wants is for you to mentor his son so to prepare him to be king. If the Esthiems do get lucky this time."

"They're going to try and pressure Lumina into the idea," Noctis declared, glaring down at his own mug before drinking it angrily. "Lumina isn't so easily pressured Noct, you should know since she gets that rebellion from you."

"No my love, I have to say she gets it from you."

Lightning raised a brow at him, daringly him to press the matter. "What if they do fall in love?" he said then. Lightning rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Then they fall in love. There can be such things between nobles families. We're both nobles and we're in love. It would be all the better if it was the same for Lumina. Better love than loveless."

"Esthiems aren't fighters."

She sighed. "Now you're just being petty."

"I'm serious. There is no such king that doesn't know how to fight. Its too a point that those that don't do die. I don't want any of our children near that. That's why we teach them to fight."

"Then we can also take it upon ourselves to teach our coming ward. Saevio would like having someone to practice with that won't flip him every few minutes."

"Lightning."

"Noctis. This man is offering you a chance to get to know his son. Other Lords won't do you the pleasure. I think it'd be good for everyone if we had another member to the family, and a good chance to strengthen Lucis and Accordo relations."

"And here I thought I was the condescending politician. Aren't you a soldier?"

"I am still of noble birth, and even as a nobleless soldier, this is stuff you have to think of when you're dealing with nobles half the time."

Noctis pouted, turning away to glare out the window. Lightning glanced over before shaking her head, offering, "Just give the kid a chance. He won't be you're son-in-law if you can't absolutely stand it. But it wouldn't hurt Lucis to have better relations. Nor for Lumina or Saevio to get to know others outside Lucis. That's how you met me after all."

Noctis sighed in defeat, silently agreeing with her words. Kings should do what's best for their kingdom. Even if it meant letting a little prick into his home.

"One more thing, Noctis. You will be nice."

* * *

Lord Bartholomew Eshthiem smiled down at the letter in his hand, relieved and excited for the news. King Caelum agreed to ward Hope. Not to a marriage like he preferred, but this was the next best thing. So long as Accordo saw that Hope was on good terms with Lucis, his chance on the throne would be secure. Even more so if Hope was able to woo Princess Lumina to his side to be his queen. It would help make the Esthiems rule a little longer, especially with what hope could learn from the Caelums, one of best fighters in all of Gran Pulse, making them quite infamous though their fair rule softened that intimidating fame only a little.

They weren't soft when it came to punishment, especially from the calm, collected king.

"Father."

Bartholomew looked up, smiling reassuringly when he saw his son peek in, his face neutral and voice despite the Lord's best efforts. His silver hair and face a little too similar to his late wife for either of their comfort, and each day he looked a little paler and sadder. Not a promising sight for any future king, or counseling lord. Bartholomew really did think this trip would be a big benefit to them both, his son would grow stronger and get past the grief, and he'd see his family set.

"You wanted to see me?" Hope asked tonelessly as he drew closer, his bored, dull green eyes staring at his Lord father expectantly.

"Yes I did, do you know Lucis?"

"You went there recently."

"I did, I met with the king there, Noctis Caelum."

Hope stood there quietly, a silver brow raised impatiently. _What does this have to do with me? _were his obvious thoughts by this expression. Bartholomew sighed, slouching back in his seat, not to interested in letting his son resume his sulk. "What it has to do with you is that he is going to be your warden."

"My what?"

"I'm sending you to Lucis for a while, to stay with the Caelum family."

"Why?!" Hope demanded.

Lord Bartholomew raised a brown brow at his son. "For one thing, you are miserable here in Accordo. another is that you can learn a lot from the Caelums, and its good to make connections with people outside your nation."

"Of course you'd decide this," Hope spat. "I don't want to leave, I don't want to go to Lucis and live with some other family!"

"Hope, the Rite of Accordo is coming in a couple of years. I want you to learn from King Caelum, a close friendship with him would get you noticed in the rite."

"I don't want to be King of Accordo."

"And if you wound up marrying Princess Lumina, you're seat would be secured."

"Father."

"You may not want to be king or to marry, but this does matter Hope. King of Accordo chooses their counsel and who they favor, they can also strip a family of their nobility. I don't want to see us stripped. I don't want to think about what would happen if the Nabaats won the Rite, or the Ballads. And with how small our family has become, this is our best chance." He turned away from Hope, rolling his seat around so that he was staring out at the city. "Pack up tonight, you'll be leaving tomorrow."

"Maybe they'll be a better family there," Hope spat, turning away with a huff, slamming the door behind him. Bartholomew closed his eyes, sighing himself as he agreed. "Maybe you will."

* * *

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**lumina and averia i think are two possible daughters that i could see noctis and lightning have, as for a son... i can't think of any past FF character boys that could work; OC wise, the names that come to me are Saevio (storm, rage), Sidus (star, night), and Lumen (light, star). since i have Lumina for this, i won't have the name Lumen appear and i like Saevio more than Sidus so Saevio is the OC son i made for them.  
**

**i remember reading up that originally lumina was supposed to be twelve but it looks like they aged her up a bit in LR; in this, she's 14, hope's age. lightning and noctis are about 36, they married at 21 and had lumina a year late, saevio, will be... 10 i guess? i haven't really decided with him yet.  
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**be aware that i have no real opinion of lumina and hope as a pair together, since i'm keeping her as a young teen, he seemed like the mostly likely prince to engage her too, and who knows, as i write it out, i may end up liking the idea. if anyone can't stand it, i'll alert you up at the top when it will appear again, or won't write as much of it, depends on my own opinion and how it develops. **

**Story List**

**Averia  
Promise  
Daddy Issues  
The Caelum Family  
**


End file.
